James "Jim" Cota

Funeral services for James "Jim" L. Cota, 76, of Harpers Ferry, IA, will be held Monday, January 13, 2020, at 11:00 AM at St. Ann's - St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial with military honors will be at St. Joseph's Paint Rock Cemetery, Harpers Ferry. Friends may call from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Sunday at the church, where there will be a 1:30 PM scripture service. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

After 20 years of being separated by heaven and earth, God intervened and reunited James "Jim" Cota with his wife Shara (Thornton) Cota on January 9, 2020. Their life as husband and wife began on December 2, 1967, three years to the date that he had been drafted into the Army. He honed his craft as a carpenter and it became known that if a house was constructed by Jim it was well-built.

As his eyesight failed and forced him into early retirement, his son John and his wife Dana (Burke) brought him into the porta potty business and the beef cattle show ring. He passed many a day riding shotgun and helping wherever he could or feeding the animals if the chickens would let him pass. He supported Julie and her husband Kevin Fossum by being an avid ice cream eater; the dairy industry could use more consumers like him. When his safety became a concern and Jim could not live alone, he began a new adventure living with his daughter Kay and her husband Mike Gavin. He was able to relive his farming years riding on tractors and trips to town to get parts for repairs, which was really an excuse to get his ice cream fix.

When his children were growing up he worked long hours and rarely had time to attend their activities, but when his grandchildren came along he jumped at the chance to attend the sporting events of Mikayla Gavin and Thomas Fossum; he understood the basketball better than the football. He saw Samantha Cota sing and act on stage and sat on hard bleachers to watch Chance, Collin, and Paige Cota show their beef cattle at the county fair before coming back the next day to observe Elizabeth and James Fossum show dairy cattle. If he could have seen better, Cota Gavin could have taught him many things on his electronics. Brayden Gavin shared Grandpa Jim's love of deer hunting and both could probably tell you a story or two. Working in the barn with Shara Cota was an enjoyment verses a chore when he was a kid. Jim's great-grandson Wrangler Cota will continue the legacy.

Born August 14, 1943, Jim was the oldest sibling of Dick (Donna) Cota, Karen (Jerry) Boardman, Mary Jane (Jim) Connor, Jake (Donna) Cota, Betty Hogan, Tom (Joyce) Cota, and Connie (Chuck) Brown.

Marriage brought his mother-in-law Lillian Thornton and brother-in-laws Jerry (Sandy) and Dan (Denise) Thornton into his life.

He is now in the company of his granddaughters Shayla and Shelby Cota, parents Jerry and Marian Cota, brother Joey Cota, and father-in-law George Thornton.

Jim would want to say to all of his family and friends, "Say a prayer for me. God Bless."

Honorary casketbearers are Jim's godchildren and his great-grandson Wrangler Cota. Casketbearers are his grandchildren.