Jeremy David Cotham's Obituary
Jeremy David Cotham’s six-year-long battle with cancer ended this past Thursday, March 12, 2015 at Good Shepherd hospital. Jeremy was born 28 years earlier (on August 18, 1986) at the very same hospital. He attended Longview schools (Doris McQueen, Bramlette, Judson Middle School, and he then graduated from Longview High School in 2004). From then he attended Kilgore Jr. College where he worked on “The Flare” school newspaper and he majored in “sport journalism” under Betty Craddock; and that subject would become the love of his life! After Kilgore, he then went on to college from there to the University of Texas at Tyler where he graduated in 2009.
Jeremy played sports all of his life! It started with Coach’s pitch (where his first coach was Robert Floyd), then to kid’s pitch, then to all levels of Dixie League (LBBA) baseball. He would brag that he played on the same team with Chris Davis (who now plays for the Baltimore Orioles). He was also on the church basketball team at Alpine church of Christ, where he had his church membership and where he was very active in the youth program (his youth minister was Ricky Pruitt). He also liked golf and bowling. Plus, attending sporting events (like Lobo high school games, the Texas Rangers games, Mavericks, and the Texas Longhorn games in Austin).
After college graduation, Jeremy was able to cover sporting events in press boxes, and then he got to go on a special trip to cover U.T. Tyler’s women’s softball team at the National Championship in New York State (where he got to go sight-seeing in New York City). Then about a month later, Jeremy was a groomsman in his sister (Amber’s) wedding in June of 2009, in which he was the high-light of the photo session that day! Little did he know that just two months later, his life would take a very dramatic turn! After feeling tired and unable to play his usual sporting events, and after several tests; it was determined that Jeremy had leukemia and the very next day was off to M.D. Anderson in Houston! Initially, Jeremy was put into “remission” early on and he thought that he had beaten it! But 8 months later, he relapsed; and he was told that he needed a stem cell transplant. We know that he was blessed by God that the Lord provided Jeremy’s sister as his perfect donor! But about 70 to 80 days after the stem cell transplant, Jeremy relapsed again! Which set him on the spiral of rounds of chemo, radiation treatments, graft vs. host disease, bouts of pneumonia, infections, surgeries, and scleroderma symptoms. Hard decisions had to be made to try to save his life; like the amputation of his lower legs (last November), to the putting in of a trach/vent, to an emergency care flight to Houston, to the putting in of a feeding tube most recently. He was moved back home to Longview about two months ago where he was able to be around those closest to him (family, friend, and church members). He was taken from us way too soon, but he fought a brave and courageous battle, never complaining about his bad lot that life had handed him! Visitation will be 3 to 5 pm on Sunday at Rader funeral home, and the memorial service will be Monday at Alpine church of Christ. Those attending the funeral are asked to wear sports jerseys of Jeremy’s favorite teams (Longview Lobos, Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks, or the Dallas Cowboys).
Jeremy is survived today by his parents: David & Sharon Cotham; by his sister & brother-in-law, Amber & Austin Whitehead; by his grand-parents (on his mother’s side), Norman & Joy Williams; by several Aunts & Uncles, Joyce & Scott Busbee, Brenda Williams, Kay & Charles Mickey, Beverly & Wayne King; and by numerous cousins. Jeremy was pre-ceded in death by his grand-parents (on his father’s side), Preston & Loveda Cotham.
For a memorial to Jeremy’s life, you are encouraged to buy a luminary in his honor for the upcoming “Relay for Life” rally in Upshur County. [See donation forms for more details.] Plus, be watching in the future as plans will be made to do a memorial scholarship fund at Kilgore College for future journalism students. [More details will be announced at a later time.]
What’s your fondest memory of Jeremy?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jeremy?
Share a story where Jeremy's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jeremy you’ll never forget.
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