Phil Earl Kotter, age 95, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend passed away Monday, November 4th, 2013 after a long life of enthusiastic service and unconditional love for others. His life was devoted to his family, church and work. He was born May 2, 1918, in Elsinore, Utah, to August and Minnie Lorensen Kotter. He attended South Sevier High School, Snow College and BYU. He worked for the US Soil Conservation Service, Veterans Administration and Atomic Energy Commission. With the onset of WWII he joined the US Navy. In 1949 after the war, Phil enjoyed serving his community as a State Farm Agent for over forty-three years. He was passionate about his clients and cherished those relationships throughout his life.
He was married to Helen Bleak for thirty years, had three children and was later divorced. He was married and sealed to Dorothy Milne Smith on September 15, 1984 in the Jordan River Temple, and they enjoyed over twenty-nine years of rich companionship together. Dorothy became his wonderful sweetheart, missionary companion and in his later years, his trusted caregiver. Phil and Dorothy served as full-time missionaries for the LDS church in Australia. He enjoyed many years of devoted church service.
He loved his family, golf, bicycling, and exercise, and was physically fit. He could actually whoop the best of us at Ping-Pong within a few months of his death. To the worried chagrin of family and neighbors Phil often cycled about his neighborhood well in to his nineties.
Survived by his wife Dorothy, sons Kenneth (Loa), Scott (Laurie), Deborah Ann (Gerald ) Frustaci, Michael (Amanda) Smith, Lisa (James) Raines, Tamara (Alex) Wilson, thirty-two grandchildren and forty-eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings Calvin, Floyd, Robert, Melba and Madelynn; and his son Steven. A viewing will be held, Friday November 8,from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Larkin Sunset Lawn, 2350 East 1300 South, Salt Lake City. Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 9, at 11:00 a.m. at the LDS Little Cottonwood 5th Chapel 6350 South Rodeo Lane (1540 East), Salt Lake City, with a viewing prior to services starting 9:30 am. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn.
A special thank you to the generous and loving care provided by the team at Silverado Hospice—they are amazing. Also, we are grateful to the loving staff at Sunrise Senior Living for their care during the last weeks of Phil's life.
