Annette Kaye Cooter

Annette Kaye Cooter / Rafferty / Da Cota, also known as Punky...Grandma, Mother, Sister, Daughter, and Friend to so many.

 

Annette had one son (Adam) and a daughter-in-law who may as well have been her own (Pamela). She was Grandma to three beautiful granddaughters, Abby, Kyla, and Chloe. She had a wonderful sister Trish, and a great Brother, Butch, whom she cared for and loved deeply.

 

Annette was married to Steve Cooter, who, after they parted ways, still maintained a caring friendship over the years.  Her Dear friend and sister-like companion, Nadine Miller, was very important to her, and Annette loved her with all her heart. Kimberley, Garrett, and Jennifer had been such great family and friends to her.  There are many more close friends that Annette had, Roxanne, Kori, Jean, and Diane, all some of the best friends any one person could ask for.  Annette was very grateful for them, and many more she had crossed paths with. 

 

As her son, I can assure you that her friends and Family meant so much to her...She cherished her relationships with all.  As I write this for my Mother, Annette, I am sure I have missed some important names and relationships... Please know that if I have missed someone or something, she was truly grateful for you and the time you spent together in any capacity.  From the bottom of my heart, Thank you all for being there for Mom and choosing her to be a part of your life.

 

Mom also loved her dog Jerzy and cat Bently so very much...Her forever best furry friends!  She always had fish and kept the tank so nice that they would live for many years...she loved her fish.  Annette also had Family from Hawaii and always loved to be there with them.

 

From as far back as I (Adam) can remember, Annette was one of the hardest-working people I have ever met. She had a way of figuring things out when all odds were against her.  She was a problem solver and could make things happen. She took great pride in taking care of the people she loved and strangers alike...She would have given the shirt off her back to help at any moment.  Life was never easy for her...She spent many years as a single mother and never stopped working to provide for herself and her son to the best of her ability. Annette experienced ebb & flow, good and bad. She never gave up when times got tough and tried to take full responsibility when things went south.  She never claimed to be perfect and always tried to learn from mistakes to better herself and future outcomes.  Sometimes, this worked, and sometimes, it didn't. Such is the nature of being human.

 

Over the years, Annette worked in a wide range of occupations. One of her major pastimes was working in the music industry for many years.  She had loved music since before I was born; she had fallen in love with a musician and married him, my Father.  Annette loved 50’s rock and roll and met her future husband (Mr. Stephen R Cooter) after watching him play with his band Greasy Joe and the Roadhogs at a concert in Casper, Wyoming, in 1974. Together, they toured the country for several years. Living off and on in Denver, CO, eventually settling back in Casper and getting married. In 1978, Annette gave birth to Adam Kyle Cooter. The family moved to Sydney, Montana, for a few years before moving back to Casper and then to Salt Lake City, Utah, where she resided for the remainder of her days.  Annette worked with many music groups over the years and made friends everywhere she was in the industry.  She would be upset with me if I didn't mention her kissing Bon Jovi and going to lunch with Rod Stewart.  I can assure you there are many more stories where that came from.

 

Annette also loved to dance.  She attended a  school of Art for dance, and it was a passion of hers.  Annette also had a great love for Reggae music. She worked with (RAW) Reggae Ambassadors worldwide to help support and bring Reggae music to Utah all through the 80s & 90s.  She was a supporter of the radio station KRCL and a dear friend of Papa Pilgrim, one of Utah's great local Reggae advocates.   My Mother, Annette, introduced me to so much music, I was immersed in the music scene growing up because of her.

 

 Annette was well known to the local SLC kids (My friends and crew), the original Tribe that helped start the Liberty Park  Drum Circle in the mid-90s.  She played a huge role in our lives...She was known to this Tribe as Momma Bear.  She would feed all, house them when they needed support, and provide compassion and care in times of need. She was a great Momma Bear, and we will all remember this time in the 90s that played such a special role in our lives.  Thank you, Momma Bear, for always being there for us no matter what.

 

ONE LOVE!

 

I remember one of the favorite vehicles she ever owned was a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle, Baby Blue. She cruised that thing everywhere with a smile always on her face:)  One of my greatest memories with her was when she packed up our 1975 Ford Granada Stick shift (3 on the Tree) and took just the two of us up to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with no real plan other than to have a good time together.  We sure did!!!

 

She had a way about her and made friends everywhere we went. This was the case on that trip and most of our adventures. I remember she wanted to go skydiving, and I was like No way, Momma, that's crazy. Well, She went skydiving and loved every minute of it! She was strong-willed and as stubborn as could be; when she wanted something, she was going to find a way. I have got to be honest, I don't think she was scared of anything.

 

Mom Loved the mountains and just spending time with the Family. She loved playing board games, cooking, and baking with her granddaughters. Speaking of her granddaughters... They were the light of her life!  Mom loved nothing more in the world than those three girls. And they loved their Grandma Annette just as much. They had a very special relationship with their grandma, Annette.

 

We were fortunate enough to have spent many years living close to Grandma and spending every holiday with her. Annette helped raise her grandchildren and loved to do so. It was a great time for her to be all in on being Grandma. Even when she didn't need to babysit or hang with the kiddos, she wanted to...She loves them so much.  We cooked, played games, watched movies, planted vegetable gardens, shared meals, laughed, cried, spent time together, and so much more. We love her very much and will forever hold her in our hearts.

 

It's difficult to write a summary of a very special human life. There are so many things I and the Family would like to share and touch on.  It seems nearly impossible to do such a thing.  She was great for all things human and perfect in her imperfections. She was a role model and an example of good and bad.  She shared everything one could share.

 

Mom's light was bright and strong; She was a warrior, never giving up.  She fought many battles throughout her life; she won some and lost some, but she never gave up. This was the case until all options had been thoroughly utilized. She deserves to be in a place of bliss and comfort, and I believe she has finally made it.

 

We will forever hold her in our hearts.

 

 

Love your Family and friends.