Freestone County, Texas
Obituaries


Rodger Dale Cotton

Rodger Dale Cotton, 63, passed away Tuesday, August 27, 2013. Funeral services 
will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 31, 2013 at First Baptist Church in Mexia 
with Rev. Bob Tarbet and Mr. Ben Bloomer officiating. Interment will follow in 
the Tehuacana Cemetery. 

Visitation with the family will be 6-8 p.m., Friday at the funeral home.

Rodger was born February 7, 1950 in Mexia, Texas to Woodrow and Mildred Cotton; 
the second of four children. He married his best friend, Betty Jean Robinson on 
May 30, 1969 in Kirvin, Texas. They had many traveling and hunting adventures 
during their 44 years together. They were blessed with two daughters, Brandi Jean 
and Rustyn Dale, whom they raised to be respectful, God fearing and family 
oriented adults. At the time of his passing, Rodger had three grandchildren who 
adored him. Each had received their own nickname from Rodger at birth.

Rodger loved to collect things; gas pumps, antique signs and arcade games along 
with Indian artifacts filled any space he could find. Because of this, his 
circle of friends constantly grew and they always called to chat or stopped by 
to visit.

He began his long career in law enforcement in 1970 with the Mexia Police 
Department. There, he had to keep a desk job until he was of age to legally 
carry a gun. In 1977, he became Chief of Police and remained in this position 
until December 30, 1996. He then went to work for the Limestone County Sheriff’s 
Department until he retired. During his time in law enforcement, he had many 
friends and families that were close to his own family and still remain this way.

Rodger was baptized in Christ at the First Baptist Church in Mexia, due the 
First Baptist Church of Tehuacana not having a Baptismal Font. He was confirmed 
into Christ Episcopal Church in 2002, where he served on the Bishop’s Committee 
(2003-2005) and Bishop’s Warden (2006-2007).

He was preceded in death by his father, Woodrow Wilson Cotton.

He is survived by his wife Betty; two daughters, Brandi Cotton Fuentes and 
husband, Jesse of Fairfield and Rustyn Cotton Rogers and husband, Mark of Kirvin; 
three grandchildren, Trintyn Rogers, Lillie Fuentes, and Austin Rogers; mother, 
Mildred Cotton Monk and husband, Claude of Tehuacana; brothers, Ronald Cotton 
and Stanley Cotton and wife, Belinda of Mexia; sister, Linda Ford and husband 
Billy of Barry, TX; ten nieces, four nephews and numerous great-nieces and 
nephews. 

Pallbearers are Jeff Anderson, Thomas Hendrix, Chris Bosley, Wesley Robinson, 
Craig Morgan, Buddy Robinson, Fred Latham and Jermy Sunday. Honorary pallbearers 
are David Owens, Ivan Jackson, Jr., Andy Collins, Harold Hughes, Don Morton, 
Mike Bell, Steve Jackson and Bobby Sunday.