Donald "Don" Lee Cothren

Mr. Donald Lee Cothren, 83, passed away Thursday, June 19, 2025, at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston-Salem. He was born in Wilkes County, NC on December 31, 1941, the son of the late Lonnie Thomas Cothren and Electa Julia Combs Cothren. Don was a very gifted machinist. He worked at Deal Machine Shop for 20 years, prior to starting his own machine shop, (CMS Machining) in 2001, and from where he retired in 2021. Don was a devoted Christian and a long-time member of First Baptist Church of Stanleyville. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and brother, who will be remembered by all that knew him. Don was an avid Duke fan and enjoyed gardening and fishing in local rivers but looked forward to the annual fishing trip to the Outer Banks with his family. In his younger years he and his brothers enjoyed car racing and working on the race car. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, James “Buck” Cothren and Ralph Cothren; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Pauline Sparks (Everette), Irene Wood (Walter) and Shirley Wood (Gilbert); and a sister-in-law, Shirley Cothren. Don is survived by his wife, Shirley Wilmoth Cothren; two daughters, Donna Pruitt and Mary Ann Jarvis both of Statesville, NC; three grandchildren, Mallory Jarvis (Bradley Ayers), Steve Pruitt and Tonya P. Stepanek (Dustin); four great-grandchildren, Robyn, Brody, Oliver and Willow; one brother, Ed Cothren and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, June 22, 2025, at First Baptist Church of Stanleyville with Reverend Dr. Virgil G. Dwyer, Jr. and Rev. Eddie Honeycutt officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00-3:00 prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home, 101 Hospice Ln., Winston-Salem, NC 27103.