Deputy treasurer of Charles City County dies

Juanita Ernestine Cotman was 19 years old and a new mother when she was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a disease that results in inflammation and, sometimes, organ damage.

The disease left the Charles City resident with a hole in each lung that grew larger each year until she underwent a double-lung transplant in Durham, N.C., when she was 37.

"It looked like we rushed her to the emergency room every weekend or every other weekend," said her daughter, Dana Cotman of Charles City.

She returned home after rehabilitation and began to work part time in the Charles City County treasurer's office in 2002.

Ms. Cotman, who had served as deputy treasurer for the county for 7½ years, fell ill last year after her body began to reject her new lungs. She died of sarcoidosis Sunday in a Richmond hospital after requesting to be taken off life support, her daughter said. The Richmond native was 47.

"She just wanted to see Dana grow up and go on to be successful," said longtime friend Monica Brown of Charles City.

"She took every day in stride. She was a very strong-willed woman. She wasn't a complainer. She was a fighter. Most of the time, she kept it to herself. She never wanted to burden people with her problems."

Charles City County Treasurer Cecelia Bradby noted that Ms. Cotman "was going to come in to work whether she felt good or not. When folks came through the front door, she put this smile on her face. She loved serving the citizens."

Survivors, besides her daughter, include her mother, Bertha Cotman, and two sisters, Paula Cotman and Althea Washington, all of Charles City; and three brothers, James Cotman Jr. of Richmond and Alonzo Cotman and Gregory Cotman Sr., both of Charles City.

Contact Ellen Robertson at (804) 649-6115 or .