Mary Lue Cochran

Published 4:08 pm Monday, May 16, 2016

Mary Lue Cochran was born January 20, 1937 to William Nathan and Essie (Wallace) Cochran in Wauchula, Fla. She was the youngest of five children, the eldest being Edward, then Gracie, Mable, Jimmy and finally Mary Lue. She passed to her rest in Jesus on May 6, 2016. Mary Lue was preceded in death by her mother Essie and father Nathan, her sister Gracie (Cochran) Byrd, and her brother Edward Cochran.  She is survived by her sister, Mable (Cochran) Whidden and her brother, Jimmy Cochran, both of Fort Myers, Fla. plus many nieces and nephews, all of whom loved her very much.

Mary Lue grew up in Wauchula where she attended public school. She was always a good student and also learned to play both the piano and trombone. She enjoyed playing trombone in the Hardee High School Marching Band.

She and her whole family became Seventh-day Adventists early in their lives and attended the Wauchula Seventh-day Adventist Church. At times she shared her piano talents where she attended.

Mary Lue lost her mother at an early age and, not long after, all of her siblings had moved out on their own, thus she became the lady of the house, helping her dad, even with home maintenance duties.

After high school she entered Southern Missionary College in Chattanooga, Tenn. (now known as Southern Adventist University) and obtained a teaching degree that allowed her entrance to a lifelong teaching career in Adventist schools. She first taught in Florida but eventually moved to North Carolina where some of her family had moved. She loved the mountains, the weather, and especially the people and students that she felt privileged to teach. One of the last schools where she taught was here at our own Tryon Adventist School. While children were definitely her foremost interest in life, she chose to never marry and have any children of her own.

She retired to her “Little House” in Columbus, N.C. where she enjoyed country living with birds, wild deer, turkeys, foxes and especially her wild raccoon friends. She really enjoyed feeding the coons and they, in turn, performed many antics for her and her many friends who visited, especially children.

We will all miss the stories, poems and life experiences which came from a heart full of love from Mary Lue which she shared from her “Little House.” She loved reaching out through her phone calls, letters, and cards. She even had a column in one of the local newspapers. Mary Lue did not have much of this world’s goods, but always found a way to remember her family members by sending a birthday card or two to remind us that she cared.

An online guest register is available at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com.

McFarland Funeral Chapel
Tryon, N.C.