Winfred Cottman

Winfred Collier Cottman, affectionately known as Fred and Freddie, was born on November 29, 1947, in Salisbury, Maryland, to Winfred McHenry Cottman and Minnie Collier Cottman. He departed this life on March 6, 2026.

He was raised in Salisbury, where he grew up attending and serving at Wesley Temple United Methodist Church alongside his parents and his aunt, Alice Collier.

Winfred Cottman graduated from Salisbury Lake High School, now known as Wicomico High School. He continued his education at Maryland State College, now the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He later served in the National Guard.

He also dedicated over two decades of service to Baltimore City Public Schools, where he worked from January 1979 until his retirement in July 2003. During his time there, he was especially passionate about Career and Technical Education programs. He was well liked by his coworkers and supervisors and was known for his talkative nature.

Outside of work, he enjoyed playing poker, chess, and tennis with friends. He had a way of talking, laughing, and pulling people in that made you feel like you’d known him for years. He loved being around people and bringing them together, whether that meant a card game, a boxing match on TV, or a backyard full of food, music, and steamed crabs.

He is survived by his children: Jerrod Cottman, Jada Cottman, Tonya Tilghman, and Alexa Cottman-Robinson, along with a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many others who knew and loved him.

Interment

Springhill Memory Gardens

27260 Ocean Gateway

Hebron, MD 21830