Lieutenant Colonel Kit Garfield Cottrell
Retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Kit Garfield Cottrell of Nashua died on Friday, October 24, 2025, at the age of 83, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on October 18, 1942, in Coos Bay, Oregon, to Ernst Edwin Cottrell and Eula Almira (Thompson) Cottrell.
Kit was predeceased by his parents, Stepfather Maurice Claydon, and sister Edwina Adelle Ruck.
He is survived by his loving wife, Jessica Pape Cottrell; his daughter, Wendolyn Gale Cottrell Paulson and son-in-law Eric Paulson; Stepson, Aaron Young; Stepdaughters Heather Young and Karen Bannigan and her husband John Bannigan. Grandchildren: Chelsey Watson French and her husband William French, James and David Watson. Step grandchildren; Jules and Casey Young, Tobin and Yael Griffioen, Jonathan Bannigan and his husband Nick, Elise and her husband Kory Rice, and Megan and her husband James Morrisroe. Great-grandchildren: Jamie and Wally French, Millie and Morgan Morrisroe, and George and Grant Rice. He is also survived by nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.
Kit graduated from the Academy High School in Kifissia, Greece, in 1960, and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in 1964 before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He later earned a master’s degree in Meteorology from Texas A&M and served as a meteorologist during the Vietnam War, forecasting weather systems to support U.S. forces in the South Pacific. Following his tour, he held assignments at Offutt Air Force Base and Scott Air Force Base, completing advanced meteorological training at St. Louis University. In 1981, Kit was transferred to Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, where he worked as a scientist at the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory until retiring in 1985. Never one to stop learning, he later earned a second master’s degree in Computer Science.
Kit was a dedicated member of the Nashua Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for many years, always ready to lend a hand during emergencies. Known for his resourcefulness, he was a talented handyman who preferred to tackle projects himself, armed with his tools and a can-do attitude. A true do-it-yourselfer, he also nurtured a love for gardening, cultivating a variety of vegetables and herbs in his ever-growing raised beds. Later in life, Kit developed a deep interest in genealogy, spending countless hours researching family histories for himself, relatives, and friends.
He shared a passion for travel with his wife, exploring destinations around the world including Greece, Germany, Italy, France, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Australia, with their final adventure being a 25-day cruise from Florida to Alaska in 2025. Even after retirement, Kit’s fascination with meteorology never waned. He remained deeply engaged with local weather patterns and forecasts and loved sharing his knowledge of the science behind the weather with anyone who showed interest. Kit will be missed dearly by those he left behind, and we hope that wherever he is, there’s weather and a need for a handyman.
SERVICES: A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2025, between 11 am – 1 pm at the Davis Funeral Home, 1 Lock Street, Nashua, NH, 03064. Kit will be interred at Edgewood Cemetery, 107 Amherst Street, Nashua, NH, where Military Rites will be accorded. Friends and family are invited to attend. An online guestbook is available at www.davifuneralhomenh.com. The Davis Funeral Home (603)883-3401 “ONE MEMORY LIGHTS ANOTHER.”