After a long illness Mary Alberta Hancock Cothran, 99, a long time resident of Culpeper, died on January 24, 2005 at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville. She was the wife of the deceased James Tillman Cothran of Culpeper. Alberta was born in Charleston, S.C. on September 17, 1905 to Eva Hudson Hancock and James Lester Hancock who was known as the Railroad Evangelist. She was the eldest of eight children. She was raised in South Carolina and graduated from Blackburg High School in 1925. She attended Winthrop College in Rock Hill, S.C. and taught elementary school in Kings Creek, S.C. She was selected as Miss Rock Hill of 1930. She married James T. Cothran of Rock Hill n February 1931. The couple was married by Dr. James T. Edwards, who at the time was the minister of the First Baptist Church of Rock Hill and who was later their minister at the Culpeper Baptist Church. Alberta loved taking care of her family and her house. She especially enjoyed raising flowers and taking care of her lawn. She is remembered in Culpeper by her many friends by her rapid walk and her ready, cheerful smile. Her husband; her parents, four sisters, Thelma Cash of Miami, Fla., Irene Haey of Augusta, Ga., Blanch Moss of York, S.C. and Margaret Tvedten of Rock Hill, S.C.; and two brothers, Horace Hancock of Rock Hill, S.C. and James L. Hancock of Charlotte, N. C, precede Alberta in death. Her beloved grandson, Nils U. Tholand of Richmond also preceded her in death. Her son, James M. Cothran of Charlottesville; her daughter Phillis L. Cothran-Stolenberg of Richmond; her sister Addie Davison of Rock Hill, S.C. and numerous nieces and nephews, survives her. The family received friends January 27 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel. She was buried in Laurelwood Cemetery in Rock Hill, S.C. on January 31 at 2 p.m. Contributions may be made in Alberta's name to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 160, Charlottesville, Va. 22902 and the American Heart Association, 10415 Mountain Run Lake Rd., Culpeper, Va. 22701.
Published in Culpeper News from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, 2005.

Contributor: Peace Be With You