James David Cotter

James David Cotter, 21, of Austin, Texas, passed away unexpectedly on March 24, 2019, in Waco, Texas. He was a dearly beloved son, brother, and friend. He had an infectious smile and personality that drew all to him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. James was born March 2, 1998, in Greenville, South Carolina, and also lived in Chantilly, Virginia, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and Elmhurst, Illinois. He lived most of his life in Austin, having moved to Austin at age 8. He was a junior Electrical and Computer Engineering major at Baylor University in Waco, at the time of his death. James was founder and president of the Baylor Virtual Reality Club, a past student leader in the Welcome Week, Baylor Line Camp and Peer Leader program, a mentor in the School of Engineering and Computer Science, and a member of Engineers with a Mission and the Institute of Electrical Engineers at Baylor University. James was the only sophomore recognized at Baylor’s annual leadership banquet last spring. He was an avid Baylor Bears fan and loved attending university sporting events, wearing his green and gold wig. James was always an early adopter of new technology and loved to share his “Tech News of the Day” every day with his family. In the summer of 2018, James was a computer science intern at Phillips 66 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He had a Virtual Reality internship lined up at ExxonMobil in The Woodlands, Texas, for the summer of 2019. He is survived by his parents, Elizabeth and Larry Cotter; and his sister, Kate Cotter, all of Austin; his maternal grandparents, Carol and David Pleacher, of Fort Collins, Colorado; his paternal grandfather, James L. Cotter of Mahopac, New York; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He is preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, Linda Cotter; and a sister, Carrie Cotter. The family will receive family and friends at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin, on Sunday, March 31, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held 6:00 p.m., Monday, April 1, at Paul W. Powell Chapel, located on the Baylor Campus at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, 1100 S 3rd St, Waco TX 76706. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, www.afsp.org. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.