A.B. Cochran

A.B. Cochran passed away on October 12, 2017 after a short illness at the age of 93. He touched many lives with his gentle and kind spirit. A. B. was born and raised in the farming community of Cherokee, and Lambert, Oklahoma. He was the younger son of Elsie and Frank Cochran.

After graduating from Lambert High School in 1942 he joined the Merchant Marines with his lifelong friend Loyd Stout. They were together on numerous dangerous trips across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans carrying World War II supply cargo. Many ships in the large convoys were sunk by submarines and aircraft at sea and large cannons high in the mountains as the ships approached land.

While home on leave, he married his high school sweetheart Maxine Murrow on March 26, 1943. A. B. and Maxine had three children and lived on farms south of Jet and west of Cherokee before moving to Cherokee where they lived for over 60 years.

A.B. graduated from Northwestern State College with a Master’s Degree in Mathematics. After graduation, he taught Math at Cherokee High School, and he also continued farming and ranching. His students always remarked about what a great teacher he was, how kind he was, and how he always had time for them. A.B. continued to farm until his death. He believed in leaving a farm better than he found it. The Alfalfa County Conservation District awarded A.B. the Cropland Improvement Award for 2015.

A.B. could not stop talking about how proud he was of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by Maxine, his loving wife of 67 years; his brother, Glen Cochran and wife, Myra of Oklahoma City.

He is survived by his daughter, Sandra Smith and husband, Dr. Bill Smith of Oklahoma City; his twin sons, Gary Cochran of Cherokee and Larry Cochran and wife, Christy of Jet; his grandchildren: Rev. Dr. Trevor Smith and wife, Allyson of Oklahoma City; Camree Belknap and husband, Dean of Flower Mound, Texas; Dr. Travis Smith and wife, Becca of Colombia, Missouri; Caredy Stanley and husband, Chad of Wichita, Kansas; Trina Reeves and husband, Jarom of Harper, Kansas; Courtney Blau, and husband, Ed of Oklahoma City; Ashley Wilson and husband, Cory of Cherokee; Anthony Cochran of Alva; Nicholas Cochran, Dillon Cochran, and Riley Cochran of Cherokee; his great-grandchildren: Zakiah Reeves, Sean Reeves, Abigail Reeves, Emma Reeves, Madeline Belknap, Noah Stanley, Abigail Stanley, Charlotte Smith, Avery Smith, Ethan Cochran, Adrian Cochran, Colby Wilson, Colton Wilson, Abram Smith, and Ozni Smith; nephews: Wendell Cochran and Jim Cochran and families.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 16, 2017 at the Lanman Funeral Home in Cherokee with Dr. Trevor Smith officiating. Burial will follow in the Cherokee Municipal Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Lanman Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made through the funeral home to First Christian Church of Cherokee or Stamp Out Starvation at stampoutstarvation.com.