James Cothran

James Clardy Cothran Jr. of Greenville County, passed away at age 79 on Friday June 3rd 2022 of natural causes at his home in Landrum S.C. A party in his remembrance will be held at his home Saturday, July 23rd. For information on attending the festivity, please contact his son Michael Cothran at 970-237-0801. Invitations will be sent out to those that Jim would think worthy of such an occasion.

Mr. Cothran was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1942 to Mrs. Mary Rhodes Cothran and James Clardy Cothran Sr. on the verge of the 2nd World War.  James Sr. proudly served as a Captain in the war while his mother raised, he and his older sister Bee Bee Cothran in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Soon after the war, Jim’s younger sister Lisa Cothran was born.  Jim’s 2 sisters Bee Bee and Lisa preceded his death. Surviving Jim are his son Michael Glass Cothran, Michael’s wife Jaime C. Cothran, and his three children, Aidan Ireland Cothran (17), Callan Neil Cothran (6), and Lana Simone Cothran (2).

Jim attended Myers Park High School in Charlotte, NC followed by the University of South Carolina for his undergraduate and graduate degrees as a Bachelor of Science in 1965, and obtaining his Juris Doctorate degree in 1968. After applying as an officer in the USMC, Jim was honorably discharged to also serve in the Airforce Reserves for several years during the Vietnam war. 

The members of Sigma Qi fraternity at Georgia Tech will remember Jim as “Hollis” a nickname that stuck with him along with stories of grandeur from his College carrier. Over the years, Jim had many nicknames from his friends.  Jim’s lawyer buddies from Charlotte & Spartanburg knew him affectionately as “JC”, “WC”, and “Brayboy of Braymor”. Over the years, Jim worked for many distinguished law firms in Spartanburg and became a well-known trial lawyer in the area.  He worked for the distinguished firms of Moore Stoddard, Johnson and Smith, King Cothran & Cole, Halcombe Bomar Cothran and Winn and finally as a sole practitioner his last 15 years.  Jim was highly respected by bench and bar.  He served as a topflight trial lawyer who always put his clients first.  He was known for his intellectual wit, capacious mind, and for sometimes using it to exhibit his sarcasm onto the world.  Though his demeanor could be course on the exterior, Jim gave to many people in many ways and rarely ever spoke of it.  He prided himself in having friendships in all walks of life and rarely was there a person who did not admire him in some way or another.

Jim enjoyed playing tennis at the Spartanburg Racket Club and basketball at the YMCA. Later after retirement, he completed his master gardeners’ course He enjoyed creating and caring for his gardens, as well as caring for his two dogs Emma and Zoro around his home. Although Jim will be missed, for those who love him, he will always be remembered.

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