1918 ~ 2003
Bertha Cottam Preston, 84, of West Point, Utah, passed away Thursday, May 22, 2003 in Spanish Fork, Utah.
She was born September 4, 1918 in Ogden, Utah to Joseph Cottam and Hannah Rebecca Buck. She married Orval Grant Searle. Together they had two children and were later divorced. She married William Tigner Preston on November 15, 1946. Their marriage was later sealed in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They had one child.
Bertha grew up in Ogden and later moved to Reno, Nevada where she lived for many years. Following the death of her husband, she moved to West Point, Utah where she lived with her sister, Mabel Olesen, for a number of years. She raised horses and loved working with them and training them. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved serving, and did so faithfully, in all of her callings.
Bertha is survived by her son and two daughters: Dale (Susan) Searle of Spanish Fork; Norma Miller of West Valley; Melody Alexander of Silver Springs, NV.; step-son, Fred (Lee) Preston of Redding, CA.; 21 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. She is also survived by two brothers and one sister: Norman (Violet) Cottam of Farr West; Lawrence Cottam of Ogden; and Mabel Olesen of West Point.
She was preceded in death by her husband; step-daughters: Theresa Hagen, Gloria Jean Preston; and a brother, Lyman Cottam.
Funeral services will be Thursday, May 29, 2003 at 1 p.m. in the West Point 11th Ward Chapel, 4383 West 300 North, West Point. Friends may call at the church from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. prior to the services. Interment will be in the West Weber Cemetery.