"March/April 2005, Kewpie of the Month"
Charlie Cottle, Class of 1962
(March 2, 1944 - October 20, 2002)
Charlie was honored as "Kewpie of the Month for August 2002" upon his induction
to the Illinois High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Friends of Charlie, thanks for your help!
Read about the SCCF-Charlie Cottle Scholarship Fund at Chatham-Glenwood HS.
CHARLIE COTTLE PLAQUE DEDICATION - MAY 1, 2005
Cottle, a 1962 graduate of Hickman and a former football player at Kansas State, was an extremely successful prep football coach in Illinois. He started a program at tiny Chatham-Glenwood and went 57-32-1 from 1974-84. He then went to Murphysboro High School, where he compiled a 43-20 record the next six years.

I have known Charlie since I moved to Columbia and started the 5th grade at West Boulevard Elementary School in 1955, then to Jefferson Junior High School(Middle School) and on to David H. Hickman High School.  After graduation, Charlie and his best friend Dan Woodward played football for Kansas State.  Charlie married Judy McCarty, Class of 1964, also from Hickman High School.  Charlie has retired and he and Judy reside in Webster Groves, Missouri.

Last Friday afternoon I called Charlie to tell him that I had just read in the Columbia Tribune of the death of Michael Richardson, who was one of Charlie's team mates of the "1962 State Basketball Champs" at Hickman.  Those of you that know Charlie, know what he did, put all of his plans aside and attended Michael's service on Saturday morning.  That's Charlie Cottle!

See pictures below of the "1962 Champs" and congrats from players and friends.  There will be an updated story coming to the website soon about the "1962 Champs" with the help of Kay McLeod's scrapbook from the 60's.  Kay is the widow of Jim McLeod, head coach from Hickman at the time of the "1962 Champs."

by Charley Blackmore, 2002-08-02

 
 
 


Senior Picture from the Hickman High School 1962 Cresset

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Coaches:  Jim McLeod, Charles VanDyne & Russ Sloan
Story about the "1962 Champs"

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If you would like to share your story about Charlie Cottle,
please send it to charley@kewpie.net or call me anytime.
573-442-1873
Charley Blackmore
 
 

Congrats and praise of fellow players and friends!


Charlie Cottle:  Congratulations on your induction into the Illinois State High School Coaches’ Hall of Fame.

What do you say about a guy that you have been friends with since you were 5 years old?  My family moved about three doors away from Charlie’s family in about 1949 when West Boulevard was the west city limits of Columbia.  I remember growing up and I wanted to play cowboy and Indians and Charlie wanted to play ball.  Well, Charlie won out and we went from one ball sport to another, as well as wrestling, boxing, fishing, and hunting.  I remember in the early years, we would go over to Charlie’s house on Friday nights and watch “Wrestling with Russ” and the “Friday Night Fights” with Charlie’s dad.  After the fights we would go down stairs and put the gloves on, and box each other.  Charlie would get the best of me, and I had to get tuff quick if I wanted to keep up with Charlie.

Our friendship developed quickly and athletics was a big part of it.  Charlie and I went on to be Co-Captain’ s of the 1961 Kewpie football team and to football scholarships at Kansas State University.  I can say that I got to play with and against some great athletes at Hickman and in college.  During my time as a Kewpie, there were a few great naturals that could play any sport and excelled under the pressure of competition, Charlie Cottle was one of those. He was the type of individual that pushed your game up a notch, because he was unselfish and you did not want to let him down.  And along with Mike Richardson, they were co-recipients of the “1962 Kewpie Athlete-of-the-Year” award.  The 1962 Kewpie basketball team won the State Tournament, a feat that has not been repeated by a Kewpie team since.  Charlie and Mike were at the center of the team’s success.  Mike still holds the Kewpie record for average yards per carry in a football season.   So, I was not surprised at Charlie’s selection to the Illinois High School Coaches Hall of Fame.

He is still tuff and unselfish.  When he received the award, he notified me and said, “You know Woody, I feel like part of this award is yours and I want to share it with you because of all we have been through.”  No, Charlie, I should be thanking you.  Whatever success I achieved in athletics, I achieved it because I was trying to keep up with you.

I have lived in Wyoming for 30 years, but Charlie and I still get together for some trout fishing that his dad taught us how to do some 50 years ago. And yes, we put the gloves away a long time ago.  They were replaced by a couple of beers and a cigar on the river with our dog and fly rods.

Dan Woodward “Woody” Class of 1962


Coach Cottle,

Congratulations on your election to the Illinois High School Football Coaches' Hall of Fame.  The award is well deserved!

Best Wishes from the Murphysboro Football Staff (Jeanne Baker)



See "Letter to the Editor" of the Columbia Daily Tribune from Dave Holsinger, team mate with Charlie at Hickman on the 1960 Kewpie football team.  Click here to see letter.
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From the "Sangamon County Community Foundation"
Volume 2, Issue 2 Winter 2005
Coach Cottle's Legacy

Charlie Cottle was a man to be emulated, a man to be honored.

Nancy Butcher, her husband Brad and more than a hundred others have done that by establishing the Charlie Cottle Scholarship Fund through the Sangamon County Community Foundation.  The fund will award a $1,000 college scholarship each year to a student athlete in high academic standing from Chatham Glenwood High School.

"It's really exciting to be honoring a man like Charlie and helping kids that reflect the values Charlie held," Nancy Butcher said.  "He was a good mentor.  Besides being a man who wanted his teams to have good sportsmanship and integrity, he was a very humble guy."

Cottle was a fixture at Glenwood High School, establishing the football program in 1971 and coaching the Titans for 12 years. He was inducted in the Illinois High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in April of 2002.

The idea of a scholarship fund began formulating after Cottle's death in 2002.  Nancy and Brad Butcher discussed the possibility of establishing a fund with Cottle's widow, Judy, who provided her blessing.

"I'm so excited that his legacy will go on instead of being forgotten," Judy Cottle said.  "A lot of people in Chatham don't know him now, but if they look at their football program, he is it in so many words."

Judy and the Cottle's two children, Trevor Cottle and Leslie Nehring, will rotate serving on the committee that reviews the scholarship applications.

"I don't think there is a better way to honor him and have his legacy continue," Judy Cottle said.  "He was such a good man and left an impact on so many people."

The Butchers solicited donations for the fund and contacted the Foundation to help organize and distribute the scholarships.

"We new (working with SCCF) was the way to go," Nancy Butcher said.  "To handle that kind of money and make sure it was secure and make sure it went for the purpose we said it was going to, this was the way to go."

Scholarship applications are available at the Sangamon County Community Foundation website, www.sccf.us.  The first scholarship will be awarded May 1.  A three person advisory committee, comprised of a Cottle family member, a Chatham Glenwood High School , teacher or counselor and a former Glenwood football player or friend of the Cottle family will review the applications each year.

SCCF is proud to be the steward of this gift in honor of Charlie Cottle.  For more information on the scholarship please call the Foundation at 217-789-4431. Contributions to the Cottle Scholarship should be made payable to: SCCF, Charlie Cottle Fund and mailed to 1 West Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 503, Springfield, IL 62701.
 
 

Scholarship Letter to Friends of Charlie Cottle from the Butchers.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


         September 15, 2004
Dear Friend of Charlie Cottle,

As we approach the second anniversary of our loss, we continue to reflect back on the influence that Charlie Cottle had on our lives.  He made a difference in the lives of so many people including family, friends, teachers, coaches, players, and students.  He represented what it means to be hard working, dedicated, honest, caring and humble.

We would like to honor Charlie’s memory and all he did, not just for the birth and growth of Glenwood Football, but for all the lives he touched.  Several former Redskins and friends of Charlie thought a scholarship fund would be a fitting tribute.  Brad and I got to know Charlie and his wife Judy when Brad was Charlie’s assistant at Glenwood High School in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  Brad is still a teacher and coach at Glenwood, and he and I are coordinating this effort.

His family has determined the criteria for the scholarship applicants and the selection process.  The winner will be an outstanding male or female athlete that exemplifies these characteristics:
• Integrity, Honesty, Humility
• High Academics (GPA of 3.0 or higher)
• Athletic Ability, Leadership, Sportsmanship
A committee of the following will review the applications and decide the recipient:
• Teacher (Senior Sponsor) or Senior Counselor
• Friend or Former Player
• Family Member
A $1000 scholarship will be awarded to a Glenwood graduate of the current year who will attend an accredited school of higher education.  The scholarship will be administered by the Sangamon County Community Foundation.  Since all donations will qualify for the maximum available deduction for charitable contributions, receipts will be given.  Details about the donation process are available at www.sccf.us.

So whether you are a Hickman Kewpie, a Kansas State Wildcat, a Glenwood Redskin, a Murphysboro Red Devil, or an interested contributor, we hope you will support this effort to honor Charlie.  Due to the fact that Charlie touched so many, we need your help to pass this information on to anyone you know that may be interested in contributing.
Please send donations to:
Sangamon County Community Foundation
One West Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 503
Springfield, IL 62701
Checks should be made payable to: SCCF-Charlie Cottle Scholarship Fund
We hope to have a dedication when we reach our goal of $20,000.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
 Nancy and Brad Butcher
 14 Hyde Park
 Springfield, IL 62703       phone: 217.585.0704
 n.butcher@insightbb.com (please put Charlie’s name in subject of email)

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,
 
 

Nancy and Brad
 

P.S. We would also like to have a plaque made for the dedication.  If you would like to contribute to that, please send a check directly to Brad or Nancy Butcher.  That donation will not be tax deductible, but any money left over after purchasing the plaque will be sent to the scholarship fund.


April 2, 2005

Dear Friends of Charlie,

We are very excited about the progress made to honor Charlie with the Charlie Cottle Scholarship Fund.  What a tribute to Charlie that 98 contributions have been made in less than 6 months and the fund is within a few thousand dollars of the $20,000.00 goal.  At $20,000.00 the fund will be self-sustaining.  Charlie’s influence will continue for as long as the fund exists.

We hope that you received the newsletter from the Sangamon County Community Foundation with the article about Charlie and the scholarship fund.  The first scholarship will be awarded the week of May 1st 2005.

Many of you who contributed to the scholarship fund also contributed towards a plaque.  The plaque is ready to be placed.  Please plan on attending the plaque dedication.


CHARLIE COTTLE PLAQUE DEDICATION
Sunday, May 1, 2005
1:00 p.m.
Glenwood High School
1501 East Plummer
Chatham, Illinois 62629

A cake and punch reception will follow the dedication.  We hope that you will be able to attend.  Judy, Trevor, and Leslie will be there.

Sincerely,
Brad and Nancy Butcher

Donations are always welcome:
Sangamon County Community Foundation
Charlie Cottle Scholarship Fund
One West Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 503
Springfield, IL.  62701



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Dear Friend of Charlie Cottle,

One year ago Judy, Trevor and Leslie Cottle gathered at our home and initiated raising funds for the Charlie Cottle Scholarship.  Our goal was to raise $20,000 for an annual $1,000 scholarship to be given in Charlie’s name to a deserving Glenwood High School student.

Much has happened in the past year.  The Sangamon County Community Foundation was contacted to manage the scholarship fund.  Generous contributions started pouring in.  On May 1st of 2005 a plaque honoring Charlie was placed in a place of prominence at Glenwood High School.  On May 24th the first scholarship was awarded to Stephen Holland, a very intelligent young man, who did play football and is now attending the University of St. Louis.

On September 12, 2005 we received word from the foundation that our goal of

$20,000 has been reached.  Reaching that goal in less than 1 year, says volumes about the type of man Charlie was.  It also says a lot about all of you.

Allow us and Charlie’s family, Judy, Trevor and Leslie to extend a warm THANK YOU to all of you.

With grateful hearts,
Brad and Nancy Butcher
bibneband2@aol.com

Contributions are still appreciated and still tax deductible.
Checks may be made out to:  CHARLIE COTTLE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Send to:
SANGAMNON COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
1 W OLD STATE CAPITOL PLZ STE 503
SPRINGFIELD IL  62701-2800


P.S.  In early September of 2005, Caleb Nehring (7), Leslie’s oldest son, was diagnosed with cancer. Caleb passed away Saturday, October 1, 2006. They have a wonderful website that helps to keep family and friends up to date on what they are doing to fight cancer in memory of Caleb. The website is:   caringbridge.org/visit/calebznehring

 

Please keep Charlie's family in your thoughts and prayers.



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