Friday, April 19, 2024
Shirley Cochran passed away peacefully on May 4, 2018 in Wenatchee. She was born June 24, 1929 in Pullman, Washington to Ralph and Mattie Martin joining brother Glenn and sisters Velma and Lois. She was very musical, playing the saxophone in the Pullman High School band, the organ at Bryan Hall at WSC (although she did not like it to play all over campus) and the pump organ in the morning to wake her kids.
She graduated from Pullman High School in 1947 and went on to WSC for 2 years. During that time she met Richard Cochran while he was working for her parents in their greenhouse. Dick and Shirley were married in Pullman in 1952 and moved to Portland, where Shirley was a legal secretary. They moved to Spokane in 1953 where son Bob was born. In 1956 they moved to Manson where Dick had a teaching position. Rozanne was born in Chelan in 1956 and Marty in 1959.
They bought a farm on Roses Lake in 1960 where Shirley babysat lots of Manson kids. The property included an orchard where Shirley did lots of thinning and picking. She was active in Aqua Junior Women, teaching Sunday school and teaching lots of 4-H kids how to sew, cook and can.
She and Dick started Cochran’s Flowers in Manson in 1967 using the glass from her parents’ original greenhouse. They opened an additional florist shop and greenhouse in Chelan in 1969. Eventually they closed the Manson greenhouse and operated out of the Chelan shop until 1977. Shirley stayed busy arranging flowers and sharing them with everyone she met, including flowers for the church alter, grandkids’ weddings, and various businesses. After they sold the greenhouse, she started work at Manson Growers as a sorter and eventually worked up to sorting boss when she retired in 1994.
She loved her family and loved spending time with all of the kids, grandkids and great grandkids. Shirley was known for her friendly smile, twinkling eye and uncontrollable giggles.
She is survived by children Bob (Camille) Cochran and Marty (Lorrie) Cochran of Manson, Rozy (Ron) Williams of Wenatchee, sister Velma Sayles of Pullman, Grandchildren Eric and Nick (Lisa) Cochran; Austin, Blake & Cole Cochran; Wendy (John) Tukey, Madison and Travis Williams, and 6 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Glenn, sister Lois and husband Dick who passed away in January after 65 years of marriage.
Donations may be made to the Manson First United Methodist Church. Services for Shirley will be Saturday, May 19, at 2:00 p.m.at the Manson Methodist Church.
Please leave any thoughts and memories for the family at www.prechtrose.com.
Services are under the direction of Precht Rose Chapel.
