John Kent Cottingham

John Kent Cottingham, 85, of Cornwall, died Monday, 25 November 2024, at Wellspan Good Samaritan. He was born 21 June 1939, in McPherson, Kansas, to John and Vivian Cottingham. Kent grew up in McPherson and Newton with his twin brother, John Kirk Cottingham. He graduated from Newton High School in 1957. While in college, Kent met the love of his life, Judy Darlene Holzrichter. He graduated from Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University). Upon his graduation, he and Judy moved to Wichita. On 6 November 1965, they married in a ceremony in Burrton, Kansas. In Wichita Kent worked at KAKE and KTVH Channel 12 as a news writer, a copywriter, and the on-air personalities of Kakeman and Toy Boy. Kent was Toy Boy for several years on the Henry Harvey Christmas Show. Later, he wrote and created his own children’s show called Pete’s Place, which was about a turtle who lived in an ice cream cart. Kent and Judy moved to Somerville, New Jersey, to pursue new careers. Kent worked at a variety of positions as a cook at a local diner, a radio copywriter at WBRW, a producer of the radio production of The Somerville Methodist Church with Pastor John Infanger, and then began to travel with production companies around the United States. Kent and Judy served as youth leaders at Somerville Methodist Church and others over the years. The couple moved to Clinton, New Jersey, where they created The Players Theater Company at North Hunterdon High School where they taught and directed plays for a number of years. During his time at NHHS, Kent received many thespian awards and honors as a director, perhaps the most prestigious was the New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education from 1997. In 2009, they moved to Cornwall, Pennsylvania, to live a quiet, retired life. It was here where they became a part of countless Renaissance Faires. Photography was a hobby Kent enjoyed. He used his skills whenever they would travel the world taking pictures of themselves and all of the landmarks they visited. Kent also had a love of Shakespeare and storytelling, so when they would travel home to Kansas at Christmas he was the storyteller for Lindsay, Kelli and Heath and their eventual families. Other survivors include brother John Kirk Cottingham (Eileen) of Hutchinson, KS; sister-in-law Jane Holzrichter of Hutchinson, KS; nieces Lindsay Holzrichter (Steve Carpenter) of Alexandria, VA, Kelli Zehr (Scott) of Burrton, KS, and Anne Ondreick (Paul) of Griswold, CT; nephews Heath Holzrichter (Jaclyn) of Burrton, KS, and Jay Cottingham (Sherry) of North Stonington, CT; and several great-nieces and nephews. Kent was preceded in death by his wife, Judy Cottingham; parents, John and Vivian Cottingham; his in-laws, Henry and Helen Holzrichter, and his brother-in-law, Jimmie Holzrichter. Cremation has taken place and the burial will be in the Columbarium at Trinity United Methodist Church in Hutchinson, Kansas. Memorials will be directed to the youth ministries and music ministries at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1602 N. Main Street, Hutchinson, KS 67502.