Patrick Leo Cotter

Servant of the Lord

August 20th, 2026

Patrick Leo Cotter was born in Pittsburgh, PA on September 14th, 1939 to William Cyril Cotter and Teresa Mary O’Neill. One of 13 children, he had 8 brothers and 4 sisters. He was the fourth youngest. Patrick’s father was an inmate supervisor at the Allegheny County Workhouse (a prison), and they lived on the prison’s 1,100-acre farm during his early years. His father died in 1957 when Patrick was 18 years old.

Patrick had various jobs during his early years. He was a golf caddy at a country club where he developed a passion for the game. He was an accomplished baseball player who came close to playing at the professional level. He worked in construction, attended Slippery Rock State Teachers College and, for a brief time, served on active duty in the U.S. Army during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During his time of military service, he bragged about how he got really good at climbing telephone poles. He took up boxing on post, breaking his own nose and probably a few others. He was never one to be underestimated.

Patrick’s career eventually transitioned into sales. He was a natural. He excelled in the medical equipment industry and climbed the corporate ladder at Johnson & Johnson. Never one to sit behind a desk, he preferred the entrepreneurial life and was always quick with a new business idea. Brimming with self-confidence, his charismatic personality made him the kind of person everyone wanted to be around. His multi-decade career took him from PA to NJ, to TN, back to PA, then to TX, IL, NC, and eventually SC.

In 1983, Patrick was drawn to Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC, where he made the decision while attending a men’s prayer breakfast to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. From that day forward, he dedicated himself to serving others. He was the President of the Optimist Club of Charlotte. He was an usher. He led a Singles Again group. He participated in a prison ministry. He participated in a bible study at the Southern Evangelical Seminary. He was a regular at the Calvary men’s military breakfast and the Progressive Baptist Church men’s breakfast. He always looked for an opportunity to help someone in need. There are countless stories of his generosity. He will forever be missed.

Patrick is survived by his beloved wife Carlyne; his three children: Kim (Tony), Mike (Cathy), and Juli (Rick); as well as eight grandchildren: Samantha (Tyler), Josh, Lauren, Ryan, Brandon, Peyton, Caroline, and Preston. He also leaves behind many beloved family members through marriage, three sisters, two brothers, and countless people who called him friend. He will always be loved.

A celebration of Patrick’s life will be held at Calvary Church, located at 5801 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226, on Friday, August 28th. There will be a visitation beginning at 12:00 pm (ET) and a service beginning at 1:00 pm (ET). A link to a recording of the service will be made available soon afterwards.

The family requests that a donation be made to the Calvary Church General Fund on behalf of the Military Outreach Ministry in lieu of flowers (https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z9MC/campaign/C-13K21)