Walter Cotner

Obituary for Walter W. Cotner
The Ithaca Journal, Jun 11 1970, P. 12, Col. 1, with photo

  Professor Emeritus Dies
  "Walter W. Cotner, 73, of 151 Pine Tree Rd., died Wednesday, June 10, 1970 at his home. He was professor emeritus at Cornell in electrical engineering.
  Born in Lima, Ohio, he received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Ohio Northern University in 1925, an electrical engineering degree from Cornell in 1928 and a Masters in electrical engineering from Cornell in 1932.
  He was a registered professional engineer in New York State, and was appointed an instructor in electrical engineering at Cornell in 1935, where he was continuously on the faculty until his retirement in May 1964.
  He taught in the Ohio public school system from 1914-21 and was with the National Electric Products Co. during the 1920s. He spent some time with RCA in the design of test equipment in 1930, and in 1941 he worked with Holway and Cochrane as an electrical systems designer.
  He did consultation work for American LaFrance Co. in Elmira, with the New York State Power Authority and with the New York Telephone Co. His principle[sic] work in electrical engineering was in the Electrical Machinery Laboratories and in Servo-Mechanism Labs at Cornell.
  He was past chairman of the Ithaca Section of A.I.E.E. and was a member of Acacia fraternity while at Cornell, F&AM Lodge in Lima, American Radio Relay League and Amateur Radio Operator.
  ...
  He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Coral Jack Cotner, a daughter, Jacqueline Cotner of Austin, Tex.; a son. Calvin B Cotner of Arlington, Va.; five brothers. Wilbur C. Cotner of VanWert, Ohio, Herbert Cotner of Wapakoneta, Ohio, James Maurice Cotner of Lima, Milo Cotner of Birmingham, Mich.; and Bernard W. Cotner of Lima; and a sister, Mrs. Cecil Ramga of Canton, Ohio."

Cornell Memorial Statement for Walter Wendell Cotner (February 27, 1896 — June 10, 1970)

Extracts:
"Walter Wendell Cotner, professor emeritus of electrical engineering, was born in Lima, Ohio, on February 27, 1896, the son of Jacob B. and Carrie H. Cotner. Upon obtaining his B.S. in E. E. degree at Ohio Northern in 1925, he came to Cornell as an instructor in electrical engineering, and continued his formal study, receiving the E. E. degree in 1928, and the M.E.E. degree in 1932. Remaining at Cornell, he became assistant professor in 1939, advanced to professor and, upon his retirement in 1964, to professor emeritus.
...
  With a professional competence extending well beyond the “academic,” Professor Cotner maintained a life-long interest in the broader aspects of engineering, and was active in the engineering profession beyond the limits of the campus. His summers and sabbatic leaves were devoted to varied research, design, and consulting experiences in industry. These experiences were rewarded by patents issued to him, and by the enhancement of his teaching effectiveness, both in the laboratory and in the classroom.
  His academic role at Cornell included responsibility for teaching junior-year circuit theory, electrical machinery, basic electronics, and industrial electronics. During World War II, in addition to his on-campus duties, he taught extramural courses in electronics to industrial groups in Ithaca, Elmira, Binghamton, and Sidney. During a sabbatic leave, his work for the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Corporation on electronic motor controls resulted in two patents. His summer activities included employment as a senior field engineer for the New York State Power Authority and involved rehabilitation of two 80-mile-long, 110-kilovolt transmission lines. He made studies of transmission circuits for the New York Telephone Company.
...
  He was married August 17, 1935, to Coral E. Jack, who survives him, together with a son, Calvin B. Cotner, and a daughter, Jacqueline M. Cotner. He is survived also by five younger brothers, Wilbur C. Cotner of Van Wert, Ohio; Herbert Cotner of Wapakoneta, Ohio; James M. Cotner of Lima, Ohio; Milo Cotner of Birmingham, Michigan; and Bernard W. Cotner of Lima, Ohio; and a sister, Mrs. Cecil Ramga of Canton, Ohio."

Walter W. Cotner

DoB: 1896
Died: 10 Jun 1970
Buried: East Lawn Cemetery, Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York