U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Stephen E. Cottrell, 25, of Browns Mills, died Dec. 15, 2009, in Burlington County. Born in Long Branch, he had lived in Howell, Manasquan, and Port Richey, Fla., before assignment to Joint Base McGuire- Dix-Lakehurst in February 2009. Sgt. Cottrell had served as a special police officer for Freehold Township. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in July 2005 and had served in Iraq with Unit 732ESS-Det 3 with the police transition team. He is survived by his wife, U.S. Air Force Sr. Airman Amy Cottrell, Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst; his mother, Patricia Cottrell of Port Richey, Fla.; his father and stepmother, Charles and Kerry Cottrell of Manasquan; his maternal grandmother, Joyce Groner of St. Petersburg, Fla.; his paternal grandmother, Helen Cottrell of Manasquan and Tampa, Fla.; a sister and her husband, Ann-Marie and Cory Schnebel of Brick; a brother and his wife, Adam and Cindy Cirlincione of Davenport, Fla.; two nephews; and two nieces. A funeral service was held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, Freehold Township. Interment followed in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery, Arnytown section of Burlington County. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Gold Star Mothers, 2128 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008.
