Joe Tom Cothren

Dr. Joe Tom Cothren, 70, of College Station passed away on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014. A time for family to receive friends will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, at Hillier Funeral Home, 2301 E. 295th St., in Bryan. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 20, 2014, at A&M Church of Christ, 2475 Earl Rudder, Fwy. S, in College Station, with Pastor Foree Grove officiating. Interment will follow at College Station Memorial Cemetery. Tom was born on May 15, 1944, in Stratford, Okla., to John and Evelyn (Wood) Cothren. He grew up in Garvin County, Okla., and graduated from Maysville High School in 1962. Tom graduated from East Central University in Ada, Okla., in 1966, with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. He went on to attend Oklahoma State University receiving a master of natural science and Ph.D. in botany (plant physiology). Tom served on the faculty at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville before coming to Texas A&M University in 1982. During his years of teaching and research, Tom received many honors, including Fellow of American Society of Agronomy, Fellow of Crop Science Society of America, Outstanding Research Award in Cotton Physiology and the Special Achievement Award for Teaching from Texas A&M. Tom served on the Faculty Senate at Texas A&M for several years. His most important achievement was the close relationships he maintained with his students and co-workers. Tom enjoyed landscaping and working in the yard, solving crossword puzzles with his friends and spending time with his pets. Family and friends were the most important aspect of Tom's life. He is preceded in death by his parents, John Henry Cothren and wife, Evelyn; brother, Horace Cothren; sister, Wanda Tyler and husband, Jim; brother-in-law, Cecil Carter; and nieces, DonEtta Cothren and Rhonda Cothren. Tom leaves behind his loving wife of 39 years, Lynda Cothren; daughter, Claire Cothren and husband, Michael Burke, of Dallas; son, Denton Cothren and wife, Lindsey, of College Station; sister, Marie Carter of Maysville, Okla.; brother, Donald Cothren and wife, Phillis, sister, Lynda McCarty and husband, Mike, sister-in-law, Nadine (Cothren) Kirby, all of Stratford, Okla.; and brother-in-law, Michael Moore and wife, Debbie, of Southlake. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends. The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Venkatraj and the staff at Hope Cancer Center, Dr. Garcia-Manero and his staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center and College Station Medical Center for their wonderful care. As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions can be made in Tom's name to Hospice Brazos Valley, 502 W. 26th St., Bryan, TX 77803. Please share memories and tributes to Tom at www.hillierfuneralhome.com.