Loretta Virginia Cochran, of Niles

Published 9:15 am Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Feb. 17, 1924 — Feb. 29, 2020

Loretta V. “Ginny” Cochran, 96, wife, mother, grandmother, reader and golfer, died at 3:50 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, with family gathered around her bedside at Wellbrooke of South Bend, Indiana of natural causes.

She was born on Feb. 17, 1924, in Baroda, Michigan, to Sherman and Helen (Unruh) Davis. She was graduated from Niles High School and has lived in Niles most of her life except for 19 years in Brooksville, Florida.

Ginny was a member of Saint John’s United Church of Christ in Niles and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Niles Lodge #1322. She was an avid golfer, usually at Niles Plym Golf Course and The Heather Golf Club in Brooksville, and had scored two regulation holes-in-one. She enjoyed reading, especially novels by John Grisham, and completing crossword puzzles (she actually wore-out a crossword puzzle dictionary!)

On June 2, 1945, in Niles she married Clay Cochran, a decorated veteran of World War II. They celebrated the remarkable 56th anniversary of their wedding prior to his death on Feb. 6, 2002. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Lorraine Shafer, Edgar Davis and Dixie Jane Davis.

Surviving family includes her children, Corine (Joseph) Leech, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Michael (Margaret) Cochran, of Niles; grandchildren, Victoria Hughes, Paul (Stephanie) Cochran, Mathew (Nina) Quick and Christine (Mark) Heimbuch; great-grandchildren, Claire Hughes, Andrew Heimbuch and Ryan Heimbuch; and several nieces and nephews.

The family of Loretta Cochran will gather privately to honor her life and share some memories at the graveside in Mission Hills. Arrangements were made at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main St. in Niles. Online condolences may be left at: halbritterwickens.com.