Tesa Cotton

COTTON, Ms. Tesa J. - Age 20, passed away Friday, December 23, 2011 at Hurley Medical Center. Family Hour 10:30 a.m. Wednesay, January 4, 2012 from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., with funeral service commencing immediately at 11 a.m. Pastor Lamarcus Reels officiating. Interment Lovedale Memorial Cemetery, G-5175 E. Bristol Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the funeral home 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Ms. Cotton will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, and may be viewed from 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesday. Ms. Tesa Jimel Cotton was born February 16, 1991 in Flint, Michigan to the parents of Melba Jean Cotton and the late Earl Gibbs. Tesa accepted Christ at a young age. She attended Freedom Cross Ministries Church. She was known for her pretty smile and laugh. Tesa was a recent graduate of Flint Southwestern Academy, “Class of 2012.” She also was an Honor student with a 3.2 (GPA) and perfect attendance this year. Tesa was a dedicated daughter, sister, aunt and friend, who loved being with her family. She was looking forward to attending GISD in January. Tesa has touched everyone’s heart one way or another. She loved her friend, Anthony Riegle, the Temptations and Hana Montana. Tesa also loved singing, dancing and writing. She didn’t let her illness stop her, she continued to try even though she was sick. Tesa is no longer suffering, because she’s in a better place. She leaves to cherish her memory: parents, Melba Jean Cotton; sister, Tonya (Maurice) Cotton-Gray; brother, Ryelan Cotton; 3 nieces, Markeyia Cotton-Jones, Mauricha and Mauriya Gray; aunt, Arnitha Stallings, all of Flint; cousins, Kurt (Mona) Cotton-Kindle, Julius, Jermany, Reese, Yolanda and John (Alice) Crawford; 1 brother-in-law; a host of other relatives including special friends, Anthony Riegle, Kayonna Parker, Ms. Kimberly Wiederhold, Norman Branch, Jr., Nick Skinner, Gail Alston, the Brown, Wright and Green families, Tanya and Darryl Patrick and Rhonda Burns. Ms. Cotton was preceded in death by her father, Earl Gibbs; grandparents, Reese Sr., Inez Cotton and Juanita McLemore; aunt, Ernestine Brown; uncles, Ricky Reese Cotton, Jr. and Albert Davis; and cousin, Antione Allen. The family would like to express special thanks Mechelle Landers Shipp, Melissa White, The Reels Famiy, Ms. Bell and the staff and students at Southwestern Academy, Larenda Fields, the Adams Ave. families, Pastor Lamarcus Keels and Pastor Lori Jackson and Freedom Cross Ministries.

Tesa Cotton

February 16, 1991 - December 23, 2011