September 29, 1931 - August 26, 2023

Elisabeth Beatrice Cotten (nee Graf) beloved wife of the late George Cotten passed away peacefully on August 26, 2023.

Born in Basel, Switzerland in 1931, Elisabeth developed a love for languages, culture, and travel at an early age.  She was fluent in five languages and traveled extensively. As an exchange student in high school, she lived in England, Holland, and France. After graduation, she studied in France and Italy.  Elisabeth worked in numerous countries including Canada, Finland, Italy, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, and the United States.  It was in Canada where she met her husband, George Cotten.

Elisabeth and George were married in Switzerland and moved to the United States. They eventually settled in Lexington, Massachusetts where they raised their family. In retirement, George and Elisabeth pursued their love of travel by visiting every continent except Antarctica and every state in the United States.

Elisabeth was a prolific enamel artist and a life-long member of the Lexington Arts & Crafts Society. She was a member of the Brookhaven Worship Group of the Friends Meeting at Cambridge where she previously served as Secretary and she was also a member of the Swiss Society of Boston.

Elisabeth was an active resident of Brookhaven at Lexington for the past 12 years. She enjoyed welcoming new residents to the community, participating in weekly language tables during dinner, and volunteering extensively. Her family is thankful for the community she found at Brookhaven and the excellent care she received in her later years.

Elisabeth is preceded in death by her husband, George Richard Cotten; her parents Ernest and Louise (Duebendorfer) Graf; her brother Martin Graf; and her sister Ruth Graf.

She is survived by her daughter Janet Feuerman and her husband Brian, son Gerald Cotten and his wife Kimberly, son Richard Cotten and his wife Ann, four grandchildren, and niece and nephew.

A memorial service for Brookhaven residents and immediate family will be held at Brookhaven at Lexington October 20th at 11:00. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Massachusetts Humane Society. Inc.