WILMINGTON — Alton Norman McCotter, of Wilmington, N.C., and Harbor Springs, Mich., died peacefully Sunday, June 18, 2017. He was born July 27, 1929, in Vandemere, N.C. He was the son of Alice Gallop McCotter and Charles Jennings McCotter.
Mr. McCotter is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joyce Land McCotter; daughters, Deborah Jean Milliken (husband, Kevin), Linda Gail McLaughlin (husband, Bill); five grandchildren, Kelli Milliken Corning (husband, Richard Clark), Christopher McLaughlin (wife, Heather), Kasey Milliken Buschmohle (husband, Jordan), Kathleen McLaughlin, Sean Milliken (wife, Erin); five great-grandchildren Caroline Corning, Hudson Corning, Sienna Buschmohle, Olivia Buschmohle and Grace Anne McLaughlin; many nieces and nephews who loved him very much; and his adored, Cricket, Cruiser and Deacon.
He grew up in Vandemere, N.C. Alton attended high school in Rocky Mount, N.C., graduating from Wake Forest University and attending Stanford University for an Executive Business Program.
Mr. McCotter played many sports. He was very successful in basketball at Wake Forest, where he became a top-scoring center, taught a girls’ basketball team as a graduate student and played industrial basketball for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
He worked for Goodyear for 30 years. He was director of marketing at Goodyear in Akron, Ohio, and vice president of Motor Wheel Corporation in Lansing, Mich. He eventually purchased (with several partners) Motor Wheel Corporation.
Alton retired from Motor Wheel in the early 1990’s, at which time he and wife Joyce moved to Wilmington, N.C. They lived in Landfall and became boaters and golfers. They were members of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church. Mr. McCotter devoted a lot of time to philanthropic causes, one of his favorite was witnessing for God by giving out his cards ‘Life is Like Baseball.’
Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 22, at Coble Ward-Smith Funeral Home. Prior to funeral services on Friday, June 23, at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, the family will receive family and friends from noon to 12:30 p.m., with the service starting at 12:30 p.m. Graveside funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 24, at Celestial Gardens in Pamlico County near Vandemere, N.C.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, 1401 South College Road, Wilmington, NC 28403; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital , P.O. Box 1000, Memphis, TN 38148.
Share online condolences with the family at coblewardsmithfh.com.
