Obituary of Francis John Cottone

Dr. Francis John Cottone, 83, of Lawrenceville, after a long illness, died peacefully with his family by his side on Monday December 24, 2012 at St. Joseph’s Skilled Nursing at Morris Hall in Lawrenceville. Dr. Cottone, born on April 24, 1929 in Trenton, was a Lawrenceville resident most of his life. He served in the United States Naval Reserve on active duty from 1957 to 1959. Dr. Cottone was a graduate of Georgetown University and Georgetown Medical School. He completed his internship at D.C. General Hospital. He completed his medical residency in General Surgery at the Mayo Clinic and was admitted to the American Board of Surgery in 1962. He served as Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at Hahnemann University and at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Dr. Cottone served on the Board of Directors for numerous organizations, including St. Francis Medical Center, Healthways, Inc., Morris Hall Nursing Home, and the Martin House Foundation. He served as director of surgery at St. Francis Medical Center from 1990-2001. Prior to his directorship, he was a partner in Fares Surgical Associates, P.A. He was a member of the editorial staff of "Current Surgery" periodical and had a special interest in breast and colorectal surgery. Dr. Cottone wrote several publications throughout his career in surgery. Dr. Cottone was a parishioner at the Church of Saint Ann in Lawrence Township. Dr. Cottone is the son of the late Rosario J. and Martha Brood Cottone, and brother of the late Robert Neil Cottone. He is also father of the late John Paul Cottone. He is survived by his wife, Irene Yuhas Cottone, five children: Peter F. Cottone of Washington, NJ, Mary Catherine Cottone of Boonsboro, MD, Elizabeth Ann Cottone and husband Lawrence Becker of Charlottesville, VA, Thomas C. Cottone and wife Susanne of Lawrenceville, NJ, and Ellen Cottone of Lawrenceville, NJ; and four grandchildren: Marlena, Cecilia, and Dahlia Becker, and Christopher Cottone. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday December 28, 2012 at The Church of St. Ann, 1253 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville. Burial will follow in St. Hedwig Cemetery, Ewing. Friends and family may call on Friday morning from 10 to 11 a.m. in the daily chapel of the church. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Fund, One Intrepid Square. West 46th St. and 12th Ave., New York, NY 10036 or The Faith Development Center at The Church of Saint Ann, 1253 Lawrence Rd., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.