Terrence James Cottrell – RIP
(June 17, 1951 - January 17, 2026)
Dime Box, Texas
Terry Cottrell was a complicated man. He was an eccentric intellectual, avid reader, well-organized collector, and ardent student of life. He was our friend for 38 years.
Here's his OBITUARY link in the Austin Statesman.
Just as important, here is his gift to anyone going through prostate cancer radiation (PODCAST TRAILER). It's not for everyone, but here is the daily documentation of 45 days of radiation treatment. Here's the beginning, middle, and end of his journey:
DAY 1 - Let's Do This
DAY 31 - Pukin Dog Sick
DAY 45 - Check, done! 2 years later he was 100% cancer free and fully functionally (read into that). Not sure why he died, but but it wasn't cancer. He went out like a true Texan cowboy ... no whining, no crying with his boots on.
Here’s what A1 has to say about him:
Terry Cottrell is a rancher in Dime Box, Texas, where he operates the 4 C's Ranch. Cottrell has been publicly recognized for his involvement in Texas agricultural programs, notably meeting with state leadership regarding the Brucellosis program, a livestock disease management initiative.
He is the son of the late James Lamar Cottrell and Alene Wiederhold Cottrell. His mother, Alene, was a prominent member of the Dime Box community for over 60 years. He is active in local traditions, such as the Dime Box to Giddings Trail Ride and Parade.
Cottrell had a long career in government service, specifically in Medicaid Third Party Liability (TPL) and medical support enforcement for the State of Texas. In 1998, the National Third Party Liability and Medical Support Enforcement Conference was held in Hilton Head, South Carolina. During this period, Terry Cottrell, a professional from the State of Texas, served as the President of the association organizing the event.
That’s a start. There were many sides to Terry, and he covered a ton of ground over his 75 years. Here are the highlights:
Proud Texan – Cottrell was defined by his Texas heritage and connection to Dime Box. He grew up on the family ranch land full of cows, chinaberry trees, and rusty oil wells. He wasn’t afraid of hard work, a sweaty cowboy hat, dusty boots and bbq sauce dripping down his chin.
He understood and celebrated the male Texas mindset with all its Lone Star pride, cowboy honor, political contradictions and religious hypocrisy. He loved Texas history, geology, and anything to do with water & mineral rights.
- Farmer – Let’s be clear, I only know of two things Cottrell grew, a) weed and b) hay. Hay was 50/50 depending on Texas summer. He took me once to see his pot plants … and I looked as I might, and I didn’t see anything that looked like pot plants. He said, look up … the pot plants were so tall we were standing in their shade.
- Dog Breeder – Cottrell Carins … like Toto in Wizard of Oz. At one time, he had over 50. People would come from all over the country to buy Cottrell’s dogs. He tried to branch out to raising bullfrogs to sell frog legs down in Louisiana, but his water tanks dried up and the frogs hopped off.
- Cowboy – The best evidence I have that Cottrell was a cowboy … is his daughter Jamie. His horses always looked old and tired. He’d buy the cheapest small horses and put his girls on them. It was a learning moment that probably has been addressed in Family Therapy sessions. He knew horses, he liked horses, and they liked him. Jamie got that, and she celebrates it every day with her husband Clint.
- Bull Rider - He rode bulls as a high schooler, and in front of packed crowd in Minerva, Texas … he road his last bull at 50 years old. It took him 7 seconds to figure out how to get off.
- Oil Man – Companies have been pumping oil out of Cottrell dirt for as long as I’ve known him … and decades before. He understood the game, and he played it well. When the Landman would come around, Cottrell would have a dozen projects he needed done around the farm and the Oil Company’s would do them just to keep him happy. He pumped when the prices was high, and he turned the spigot to a trickle when Texans left the White House.
Father & Husband – He loved his girls and those who loved them. CC, Jamie, and Mary were the center of his universe. The grandkids and Jamie’s horses filled him with purpose and connection.
- Son - He had a unique relationship with his mom. Before she got sick, they enjoyed the activities of the farm. Raising dogs, cows, turkeys, and anything else that wandered up to the barn. He took great pride that she was the only female Post Master in Texas where she held reign over Dime Post Post Office for 35+ years.
- Grandfather – Cottrell wasn’t one for boredom. He liked mental stimulation. Stuff that made him think fast. Stuff that made him wonder. He loved connecting dots and tying together ideas/constructs. CC and Terry had a nuanced relationship with some complicated history. When the stars aligned was when Brian and CC had their beautiful children. Thos young humans were interesting, stimulating, and full of wonder for him. He liked being a grandpa.
A Good Friend – Cottrell like having friends. He worked hard at it. He was consistent, available, and present. He played chess, checkers, and dominos with the men. He danced, laughed, and listened to the women. He was a reliable friend and stayed close when the old folks needed him most … in sickness and death … to the end.
Excellent Dancer – Just before retiring from State of Texas, Cottrell signed up for dancing lessons. He passionately read, practiced, watched, and worked on his dancing skills. At first, it looked absurd. But over the years, the Terry Cottrell dance card began to fill up. He danced anywhere, anytime, with anyone who was willing to give it a go. Thanks to Mary, and a long line of women with sore toes, he died an excellent dancer. I’m sure he’s tapping his toe right now.
State Employee – I met Terry in the late 1980s in Hilton Head, SC. He was the President of the National TPL Association and the Director of the Texas TPR program. Five years later, Touche Ross won the Texas TPL project because “they took some State Legislator rattle snake hunting.” Well, that’s what he told the 250 folks at the TPL Conference that year.
Consensus Builder – Terry understood people. He appreciated/accepted their skills, abilities, fears, and dreams. The TPR Unit, DHS, and HHSC were high-pressure organizations filled with folks who were skilled politicians, technicians, and ambitious bureaucrats. His patience and persistent pressure got things done effectively with most people appreciative of his style/approach. He once told me, “I start every meeting meditating on how much I appreciate these folks.” It damn sure worked for him.
Concerned Citizen - He retired from HHSC. Before he left, George Bush was running for President against Gore. Then Gov. Bush made numerous factually inaccurate statements about the Texas healthcare/welfare programs in his campaign. Somehow, a small crate of documents wrapped in bailing wire got to the Washington Post (mailed from Dime Box). It didn’t change the course of history, but Cottrell was not one to tolerate a rude behavior in a man.
Cottrell was an Election Official who oversaw the Ballot Boxes in Austin. He was 100% convinced that an election in Texas could not be rigged because they were too chaotic: voting machines didn’t work, volunteers were uneducated and untrained, and voting sites were like stockyards with people just coming and going. Controlled pandemonium. If they let him run the show, it’s affirmation he was probably right: Democracy is safe.
He didn't care for politicians that couldn't agree on common sense policies/laws. He understood the Texas male, but he was deeply sad/embarrassed by the school shootings in Texas. How many kids have to die before a bunch of white hat wearing, bbq rib eatin', firm handshaking Texas politicians reduce the risk of these horrible gun-related killings?
Poet – In Texas folklore, there has always an element of cowboy poetry. It’s depicted most specifically in the movie “8 Seconds” about bull riding. Cottrell was a voluminous poet. He wrote about people, animals, nature, conflict, and love … and anything else the flicker by his conscientious.
Artist/Builder – Cottrell always had some ridiculous art/science project going on. He once built a house out of large round hay bails. Just before he was to move his family into this “state of the air” domicile, the hay got so hot in the Texas sun it caught ablaze an burned to the ground. Mail boxes, dog houses, porches, chicken roasts, shelving, lean-twos, fences, irrigation systems, cooling systems, side-walks, and so much more … were either underway, falling down, or being systematically repurposed for the next idea/project.
Mountaineer/Adventurer – Terry climbed the highest peaks in the continental USA. Mount Rainer (WA), Kings Mountain (UT), Mt. Mitchell (NC), Mt. Elbert (CO), Wheeler Peak (NM), and several more. His equipment was always old and purchased at Goodwill. He used a golf driver as a walking stick. His boots were always old and probably duck taped, but he could just keep walking … and talking … and talking.
Cottrell once left out of Austin in a Kayak with the intention of paddling to the Gulf of Mexico. He spent years planning a trip to ride horses from Texas to Canada … which some dudes just did on a Netflix documentary. He was kidnapped on a small island in Ireland by a random mad man/music lover he met at SXSW. The man wouldn’t let Cottrell leave, but with the help of some neighbors, he broke out and sailed off the island in the fog at night.
Swimmer/Life Guard – Cottrell swam in Barton Springs and Deep Eddie’s pool every month of the year for decades. He was lifeguard and swimming instructor for young children. His stoke was handicapped by arthritic bones and puny legs. He was slow, consistent, and tireless.
Bohemian Bourgeois – At some point, Terry moved his old, broke down, beat up RV (think piece of shit) into Pecan Grove Trailer Park in downtown Austin. His neighbor across the little driveway was Matthew McConnahay (the famous one). They shared the same Bath House with all the folks who lived there. Sometimes he’d waved or nod in passing. Point being, during this time, Cottrell didn’t know him from Adam.
Cottrell ... love you dude. RIP or keep asking hard questions and pointing out irony, nuance, contradictions, and out right stupidity.
Here's today's vid-clip:
Tony McLean Brown
A Western NC hillbilly through and through, Tony McLean Brown was born in the small town of Enka-Candler outside of Asheville. His parents re-named him when he was 3 years old to Tony (a nickname provided by his grandfather) McLean (middle name of his Uncle Michael) while retaining his legal surname Brown.
Throughout his career, Tony McLean Brown worked as a farmer, computer programmer, and management consultant – in his adventurous years – author, song-writer, bass player, poet, pilot, mountaineer, certified scuba diver, and competitor in professional bull riding, NASCAR late model racing, Toughman boxing, Crossfit Open, Ironman, pole vaulting, marathon and ultra-marathon running, as well as parenting.
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