William G. “Bill” “Willie” Cotton, 82, of Columbia, born Jan. 2, 1943, in Gideon, Mo., to the late Albert Lee and Ruth Cotton, died Jan. 23, 2025, at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Festus, Mo.  

As the son of sharecroppers, Bill grew up in a small town in the Missouri Bootheel in a single-room home with dirt floors where he had many adventures with his brothers and cousins. 

He moved to St. Louis when he was 18 years old and met the love of his life and beloved wife, Sue, and they were together for 63 years. They were blessed with a large and loving family. Together they had five children, seven grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. He loved to spend time with his wife, kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren laughing and sharing stories.

Bill was a successful businessman and owner of Cotton’s Ace Hardware. He opened his first grocery store in 1967 in St. Louis. He moved from that first small corner store to bigger locations across St. Louis. In 1985, he bought a combined grocery and hardware store in Columbia. After a few years, he decided to focus on hardware because, “Hammers don’t spoil.” 

After 58 years, he grew his business to 14 Ace Hardware stores across Illinois and Missouri.

It was a true family business with his wife Sue, his five children and grandchildren working and growing up in the business. He treated his employees like family, and many became life-long friends with many referring to him as “Pop” and “Grandpa.” He was also the owner of Cotton’s Construction and built many homes in Columbia and Valmeyer in the 1990s, including his own home and his son’s. 

He was the past president of the Rotary Club of Columbia, past president of Kiwanis Club of Columbia and board member of Magna Bank.

Bill loved to learn and could learn just about anything by reading a book. He had many hobbies in his life including coin and gun collecting, traveling the world, genealogy and fishing. When he wasn’t with his family or working in his stores, he loved spending time in his machine shop making things with his hands, restoring old cars and building ridable one-eighth scale steam trains. Bill was a kind and generous man who never knew a stranger and made friends everywhere he went.  

Pop always said, “You never run out of dreams. You just run out of time.”

Surviving are his loving wife Carolyn Sue Cotton (nee Barrett); children William “Joe” (Lorie) Cotton, David Cotton, Tim (Lara) Cotton, Suzette (David) Bement and Karie (John) Watson; brother Ronnie Cotton; grandchildren Heather (Chris) Overall, Sarah (Alex) Biffar, Jessica Cotton, William “Andrew” (Jerrica) Cotton, William “Jake” Watson and Sean Watson; step-grandchildren Alex Tharp, Nathan Tharp, Isabelle Tharp and Keith (Hannah) Bement; great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; cousins; and many friends.

With his parents, Bill was also preceded in death by his brothers Lee Ray Cotton, Wayne Cotton and Delbert Cotton, nephews Ed Cotton, Michael Cotton and Dale Cotton and step-grandson David L. Bement, Jr.

Visitation is 3-9 p.m. Jan. 31 and 9-11 a.m. Feb. 1 at Leesman Funeral Home – Columbia.

A funeral service will be held following visitation Feb. 1 at the funeral home. 

Interment will follow in Palmier Cemetery, Columbia.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to the American Heart Association.