Sarah C. (Morlok) Cotton

Belleville, MI (formerly of Lansing)

Sarah C. Cotton went to be with her Lord and beloved parents, Carl A. and Sadie Morlok, son William Cleve Cotton, and infant Cotton, Maria Louise Cotton, on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Sarah will long be remembered as a loving wife and mother and grandmother. She was dearly loved and will be missed very much by her son, David A. Cotton, and grandsons and friends.

Sarah was one member of the very famous Morlok Quadruplets born May 19, 1930 to Carl and Sadie Morlok at Edward W. Sparrow Hospital of Lansing, Michigan after-which she was named, and made world-wide acclaim. She did professional stage entertaining in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania in the early years of her life. She and her Quadruplet sisters and parents were on a medical research study at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, from January 5, 1955 through June 20, 1959.

She lived in England, Japan and various places in the U.S., including Michigan her past 90 years. She was a graduate of Lansing Eastern High School and was also a graduate of Delta Career College of Alexandria, Louisiana, and she attended Davenport College and Lansing Community College. She worked 7 years as a legal secretary, including a British Barristers’ firm in Newmarket, England, having received special permission by Queen Elizabeth II of England. She took shorthand dictation at 120 wpm and typed at 90 wpm and compiled a portfolio of many legal terms and forms and information. She was a Notary Public with a seal for 4 and ½ years in Ingham County, State of Michigan and kept a very neat log.

She was also formerly employed as clerical support for the ELRA/ALFA Senior Day Care Center of East Lansing, MI. She was a member of Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Lansing Liederkranz Club. She was the author of a book entitled “The Morlok Quadruplets: The Alphabet Sisters” by Sarah Morlok Cotton. She compiled a Genealogy Ancestry Book a portfolio of family history. She moved to Canton Place, MI, an 8-story high-rise on October 13, 2007 to be closer to her son, David. She was also a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Westland, MI.

She made a donation of approximately 70 Morlok-Cotton personal family belongings to Sparrow Hospital Archives on May 5, 1995 to be placed on display in a Hall of History there. It will open to the public in the spring of 2022.

She had a repertoire of 266 songs, hymns and polkas that she played by ear on the organ or piano.

She was a participant of Huron Valley PACE which stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly of Ypsilanti, MI, from June 1, 2014 until her death.

A son, William Cleve Cotton, preceded her in death on January 21, 1994. Also 3 Quadruplet sisters, Wilma B. Morlok preceded her in death on January 2, 2002, Helen D. Morlok on October 31, 2003, and Edna A. Morlok on April 10, 2015.

She is survived by a son, David A. Cotton and ex daughter-in-law, Rosnah Cotton of Canton, Michigan; four grandchildren, Alexander Azri Cotton, Zacharia Aiman Cotton, Yunus Amir Cotton of Canton, Michigan, and Bryan Michael Barrientes of Lansing, Michigan; several cousins, Evelyn Beck, Janet Jones, Joyce Griffin, Caroline Marschall, Raymond Stillion, Dale Ackerman and Wilma Robinson of Ohio, and Suzi Bigelow of Texas (David’s cousin); and special devoted friends, Pauline Zima and family, Charlie and Susie Treber family, and Beverly Haig and Charles Thomas.

Sarah’s family will receive visitors on Thursday, July 17, 2025 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel, 325 W. Washtenaw St., Lansing, MI., 48933.  Following visitation there will be a procession to Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Lansing for a 2:00 p.m. graveside service.  Memorial contributions may be made to her surviving son, David A. Cotton, or to Emanuel First Evangelical Lutheran Church.