Obituary of Samuel Joseph Cotton

ROCHESTER, NY - September 5, 2023 Samuel Joseph Cotton, affectionately known as Sam or Sammy Jo, was born on July 19th, 1958, in Rochester, NY, to the late William and Minnie (Warren) Cotton and was the youngest of 7 children. Sam attended 27 School for elementary and Cardinal Mooney for middle and high school, graduating in 1976 where he excelled in basketball, football, track, and baseball. He attended Duquesne University and completed his college education studies at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Sam started his work history in Rochester, NY with various jobs including UPS, Kodak, Xerox (where after 20 years he retired) before moving to Charlotte, NC and working for Duke Energy and Construction. Sam loved being with family and friends and could always be seen telling a hilarious story or being the life of the party. He was also a phenomenal artist who excelled in drawing, oil painting, airbrushing, and wood burning. Sam’s favorite past times outside of art was reading anything that would allow him to use his hands to build or create, slingshots, motorcycles, Nascar, shopping, being a ‘Black Cowboy’, and most definitely being a connoisseur of an array of pistols and rifles. Sam is pre-deceased by; his brother, J.S. Burroughs; two nephews, Derrick Burroughs, and Keith Dennis; one niece, Eileen Marie Walker and leaves to cherish his memory his one and only daughter, Kandis Dennyce Johnson and grandson, J’air M. Edwards of Clayton, NC; four sisters, Minnie Walker, Lois (James) Cooley, Linda Gail Cotton and Donna Nicholson all of Rochester NY; one brother, William Virgil Cotton of Potomac, MD; one sister-in-law, Patricia Burroughs, and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. Friends may call Saturday, September 16 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon at New Bethel C.M.E. Church, 270 Scio Street, Rochester, NY. The Funeral Service to Celebrate his life will immediately follow. Interment at the convenience of the family.