Irene Cottrell | Obituary – Plattsburgh Press Republican

Irene Frye Cottrell Irene Frye Cottrell, age 84, of Plattsburgh, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2021, in the presence of family. Born in Brattleboro, Vt., in 1936 to Reverend Richard A. Frye and his wife Edna (Douglas), she spent her early childhood years in Plainfield, Conn., where her father served as the minister of the Plainfield Congregational Church. During her middle school years, Reverend Frye moved the family to Charlotte, Vt., where he continued his ministry at the Charlotte Congregational Church. Irene attended Burlington High School, in Burlington, Vt., graduating 8th in her class in 1954. She went on to study government at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, graduating in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government with an emphasis on history and English. During her years at Bates College, Irene was heavily involved in editing the college’s newspaper, “The Bates Student,” serving as the Assistant Editor in her junior year and the Editor in her senior year. Additionally, she was the assistant to the Head of the Department of Government Studies.
Irene began her professional journalism career during the summer months of 1957 as an assistant to the state editor of the Burlington Free Press. Following her graduation from Bates College in June of 1958, she secured a full time position with the Free Press as a general assignment reporter and a feature writer among other assignments. In 1959 Irene married Peter B. Guibord of Plattsburgh, N.Y. They moved to Schenectady, N.Y., where Peter was employed at a local radio station. Irene gave birth to their first child in 1960. In 1961 the family moved to Plattsburgh, N.Y., and she became a free-lance feature and news writer as well as photographer for the Press-Republican. She paused her professional career to welcome two more children into the family. Shortly after, she resumed her journalism job at the Press-Republican for one year (1967-68) serving as a general assignment reporter with an emphasis on education, the Town of Plattsburgh, state legislators, and Common Council. In conjunction with her work at the newspaper, Irene was retained by the NY Board of Cooperative Educational Services under a federal planning grant for the sole purpose of preparing an operational grant application for the Northeast Regional Supplementary Educational Center for Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties and carrying it through to approval and organizational phase. In addition, Irene worked on various BOCES projects involving the special education population and its educators.
In July of 1968, Irene assisted in the planning and setting up of the family owned AM radio station WKDR. She served as the news operations manager (1968-70) gathering and preparing news in all fields of interest for broadcast. In addition, Irene planned and organized public affairs programming, particularly interview programs with leaders and individuals from a full spectrum of community activities, offices and interests. Irene returned to the Press-Republican for two more years (1970-72) as a general assignment reporter with special areas of attention: conservation, environment and Adirondack Park Agency; courts; religion news; civic organizations; health; welfare and community service agencies.
During her final tenure at the Press-Republican, Irene was given a special assignment at the Clinton Correctional Facility, located in Dannemora, N.Y. The assignment followed the 1971 Attica Prison uprising in Attica, N.Y. Her series of 8 articles were written from her own impressions as she toured the facilities and interviewed both personnel and inmates. Irene was the first female to ever enter through the iron gates of Unit 14 – where, in her writing, she described the unit as the place “where incorrigible prisoners are housed for periods of from several days up to several weeks in solitary confinement, cut off from the rest of the prison population.” Irene was given the opportunity to bypass the unit during the tour run by the prison staff but she chose to take the chance and experience what life in the unit was really like so that she could convey the findings to the public.
Irene’s professional journalistic commendations from the New York State Associated Press include: 1971 – Third Place, spot news reporting, for review, analysis and presentation of recommendations of the Temporary Study Commission of the Future of the Adirondacks; 1972 – First Place, in-depth reporting, for series on reporter’s view of Clinton Correctional Facility in the aftermath of Attica.
While living in the North Country, Irene was very active in the Algonquin Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club, serving as the club’s secretary for a number of years. In addition, she served as an executive board member for the Northern Adirondack Chapter of the National Audubon Society as well as a member of the Clinton County Historical Association.
Irene met and married Herbert Cottrell of Wall Township, N.J., in 1974. The family moved to and settled in the Jersey Shore town where she served as the secretary/treasurer for Herco Coatings Corporation – the family’s fiberglass surface coating business. In addition to working for the family business, Irene served on the Worship Council for the First Presbyterian Church of Manasquan, N.J., of which she and her husband were parishioners. She was active in various Wall Township school related functions and regularly attended Board of Education meetings.
In 1995 Irene and her husband closed their business and in August of 1996 returned to Plattsburgh, N.Y., to live out their retirement years in their home on Cumberland Head. They became parishioners in the First Presbyterian Church of Plattsburgh for which Irene served on the Worship Council for 6 years. Irene also returned to participating in the Algonquin Chapter of ADK, writing/publishing the chapter’s newsletter, as well as the National Audubon Society, and the Clinton County Historical Society.
In 1997 citing long known safety concerns by residents and motorists related to the heavily used county perimeter road on Cumberland Head, Irene became involved in the citizen action group “Cumberland Head Tomorrow.” She was instrumental in starting the drive to create a roadway through the farm lands in the middle of the peninsula that was appropriate to handle the everyday commuter and trucking traffic going to and from the NY/Vermont ferry passage. Her volunteer work included the writing of petitions for citizens to sign, form letters for citizens to send to their political representatives, and personally speaking with local, county, and state legislators regarding the safety concerns and possible solutions. After six years of hard work, the vision became a reality and the Commodore McDonough Highway was opened to traffic. In addition to Cumberland Head Tomorrow, Irene was also involved in the “Friends of Point Au Roche” group whose purpose was to encourage citizen volunteers to assist with park improvements.
Those who knew her would agree that Irene was a humble, kind, and caring person who always put others first. She enjoyed working on projects and collaborating with others to accomplish goals but was never one to enjoy the limelight. Irene loved photography, especially taking photos of nature and the great outdoors. Three of her photos of the Adirondack wilderness were featured in the Adirondack Mountain Club’s annual calendar publication in 1988, 1989, and 1990. Along with her love of photography, Irene enjoyed birdwatching, hiking, camping, canoeing, exploring the Adirondack region, as well as spending the winter months with Herb in their vacation spot in Rambler’s Rest Resort located in Venice, Fla. Her children and her family were of the utmost importance in her life and were what gave her the most enjoyment. Never wanting for much in terms of material things, Irene was happy in nature and content with living a simple but love-filled and active life with her husband and family.
Herb and family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the administration and staff of the Clinton County Nursing Home located in downtown Plattsburgh. Their wonderful care, love, and compassion for Irene is much appreciated and will be forever cherished.
Irene is predeceased by her parents, Edna and Richard Frye; her stepson Michael Cottrell; and her daughter Kerrie Anne Guibord. She is survived by and will be deeply missed by her husband of 47 years, Herbert G. Cottrell; her sister, Reverend Christine Frye of Wakefield, Quebec, Canada; her brother Alden Frye and his wife Penny, of Crossville, Tenn.; her daughter Lynne Guibord Landis and her husband, Eugene of Point Pleasant, N.J.; her son Richard B. Guibord and his wife, Kathleen of Interlaken, N.J.; her stepson Herbert Cottrell and his wife, Barbara of Elkton, Md.; her stepdaughter, Lynda Cottrell of Roswell, Ga.; her stepson, Paul Cottrell of Washington, N.C.; her stepson, Christopher Cottrell and his wife Amy of Milo, Maine; her niece Alicia Frye Smith and her husband, John also of Crossville, Tenn.; her grandchildren including Brittany and Conor Landis of Point Pleasant, N.J.; Sarah Morales and her husband, Efrain of Jackson, N.J.; Rebekah Mann and her husband, Gregory of Dallas, Ga.; Rachel Cottrell of Toms River, N.J.; Codie and Chandler Cottrell of Milo, Maine; and several great-grandchildren including Nathaniel, Kimberly, Danielle, Timothy, Zachary and Emily Adolfsen; Xavier, Adelina, and Isabella Morales; Alexa Singh; and Sofia Mann.
Calling hours will be held Thursday, June 10, 2021, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home.
Committal will be private. A memorial service will be planned and held at the First Presbyterian Church of Plattsburgh in the future. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The First Presbyterian Church of Plattsburgh, 34 Brinkerhoff St., Plattsburgh, NY 12901.
To share a memory or condolence with the family, please visit www.rwwalkerfh.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the R.W. Walker Funeral Home, 69 Court Street, Plattsburgh, NY.

Published on June 7, 2021