Bruce Cottrell Obituary

Bruce Moffett Cottrell

June 20, 1951 - November 19, 2024

Cottrell, Bruce Moffett, Age 73, of Richmond, VA, departed this life during the early morning hours of November 19, 2024, after struggling with emphysema for several years. Eleven days prior he entered the hospital for the last time after contracting pneumonia. With the exception of several years spent living in the fishing village of Wanchese, NC, Bruce was a lifetime resident of the Richmond area, where he was born on June 20, 1951, one of four sons of the late Staunton Ingram Cottrell, Jr. and Leah Madeline (Englehart) Cottrell. He is survived by brothers, David Edward Cottrell (Christy) and Staunton Ingram Cottrell (Cindy); stepdaughter, Melinda Sayles; and six nieces and nephews, He has dearly missed his late brother, Robert Gray Cottrell (Diane), since his passing in 2014. David will never forget the loyalty Bruce demonstrated to him over the many years, especially during his lengthy stay in the hospital in 2015 when Bruce was at his side every single day. Bruce's brother, Staunton ("Si") and he were close in age and enjoyed joking and reminiscing as they became the unofficial keepers of both family memories and growing up in Southside Richmond. The family is indebted to Bruce's friend, Trina Harrington, for the loving care she provided him over the past several months of his life. Bruce was a 1971 graduate of Meadowbrook High School, after which time he joined the Army and served his country in Japan. For many years Bruce and Bobby teamed up and hit the highways and byways as independent truckers in Bobby's Kenworth, providing us with many interesting stories from the road. Later, he drove for Moon Tillett out of Wanchese, hauling seafood. Bruce was a true cowboy at heart, though, and leaves behind an untold number of close friends with whom he shared his love of anything related to horses. He was, in fact, a direct descendant of the Cottrell Saddlery Company of Richmond that supplied the Confederate Army with large quantities of equestrian equipment. Towards the latter part of his life he truly enjoyed leading trail rides in Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield County on his beloved horse, Sugar. Most who know Bruce will agree that he was born about 150 years too late and that Dodge City should have been his birthplace. He loved vintage television shows and documentaries about horses and cowboys, "Gunsmoke" being his favorite. There will be a small private service for Bruce when, in accordance with his wishes, his ashes will be buried at the family plot in Maury Cemetery. A celebration of Bruce's life will be planned for a later date in early 2025.