On April 18, Pat Cochran was united with her mother, Bernadette, in Heaven ending her gallant four-month battle with COVID complications. She will be greatly missed by her family and her many friends. Her journey in this life began November 24, 1956, in Brooklyn, New York. In her adolescence, her family moved to New Fairfield, Connecticut where she graduated from Immaculate High School. She then pursued a Bachelor of Science degree from State University of New York at Albany graduating Magna Cum Laude. She then moved to Galveston, Texas where she was initially a staff surgery nurse at UTMB while ultimately progressing to head nurse on the renal transplant unit for several years. In her spare time, she obtained a Master of Science in Nursing from UTMB. While in Galveston she met her soulmate Dr. Ernest Cochran, and they were married in 1982.
The next chapter in her life started with the move of the couple to Paris, Texas in 1983. There Dr. Cochran began his practice in Medical Oncology while Pat began her multiple careers in nursing, motherhood, and volunteerism. She and Ernie raised their three sons and Pat cultivated a special relationship with her stepdaughter Heather and her grandson Logan.
Her nursing accomplishments included stents as an ICU nurse at McCuistion Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital. She later served as an instructor at the Paris Junior College nursing program followed by a position as coordinator of the University of Texas at Arlington BSN program. Her last medical endeavor was the community liaison for the NIH Children’s study. Her volunteerism was unparalleled. Just a few of her accomplishments included YWCA board of director’s president, Wade Park renovation chairman, Lamar County “Shots Across Texas” immunization campaign chairman, PISD bond election chairman, Our Lady of Victory parish council president, Paris Education Foundation board member, and St. Joseph’s Community Foundation board member. Most recently she was very actively involved in the Northeast Texas Trail coalition.
She is preceded in death by her mother Bernadette Comer. She is survived by her father, Jim Comer; husband Ernie; stepdaughter Heather, husband Andy and their son Logan; sons Trace, James Paul, and Matthew; brother Michael, sister Mary Saunders and husband Paul, and sister Eileen Perkins and husband Troy. She also has many nieces, nephews, and cousins and knew all of their birthdays.
Services will include a wake at 6-8 PM with a Rosary from 7:30-8:00 PM April 23 at Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home and Funeral with Mass at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church 1:00 PM April 24 with internment at Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Vincent de Paul at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church and Northeast Texas Trail coalition. (www.easttexasgivingday.org/northeasttexastrail)
On April 18, Pat Cochran was united with her mother, Bernadette, in Heaven ending her gallant four-month battle with COVID complications. She will be greatly missed by her family and her many friends. Her journey in this life began November 24, 1956, in Brooklyn, New York. In her adolescence, her family moved to New Fairfield, Connecticut where she graduated from Immaculate High School. She then pursued a Bachelor of Science degree from State University of New York at Albany graduating Magna Cum Laude. She then moved to Galveston, Texas where she was initially a staff surgery nurse at UTMB while ultimately progressing to head nurse on the renal transplant unit for several years. In her spare time, she obtained a Master of Science in Nursing from UTMB. While in Galveston she met her soulmate Dr. Ernest Cochran, and they were married in 1982.
The next chapter in her life started with the move of the couple to Paris, Texas in 1983. There Dr. Cochran began his practice in Medical Oncology while Pat began her multiple careers in nursing, motherhood, and volunteerism. She and Ernie raised their three sons and Pat cultivated a special relationship with her stepdaughter Heather and her grandson Logan.
Her nursing accomplishments included stents as an ICU nurse at McCuistion Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital. She later served as an instructor at the Paris Junior College nursing program followed by a position as coordinator of the University of Texas at Arlington BSN program. Her last medical endeavor was the community liaison for the NIH Children’s study. Her volunteerism was unparalleled. Just a few of her accomplishments included YWCA board of director’s president, Wade Park renovation chairman, Lamar County “Shots Across Texas” immunization campaign chairman, PISD bond election chairman, Our Lady of Victory parish council president, Paris Education Foundation board member, and St. Joseph’s Community Foundation board member. Most recently she was very actively involved in the Northeast Texas Trail coalition.
She is preceded in death by her mother Bernadette Comer. She is survived by her father, Jim Comer; husband Ernie; stepdaughter Heather, husband Andy and their son Logan; sons Trace, James Paul, and Matthew; brother Michael, sister Mary Saunders and husband Paul, and sister Eileen Perkins and husband Troy. She also has many nieces, nephews, and cousins and knew all of their birthdays.
Services will include a wake at 6-8 PM with a Rosary from 7:30-8:00 PM April 23 at Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home and Funeral with Mass at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church 1:00 PM April 24 with internment at Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Vincent de Paul at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church and Northeast Texas Trail coalition. (www.easttexasgivingday.org/northeasttexastrail)
The family requests that all attending the visitation, Rosary and Funeral Mass please wear a face mask and practice social distancing.
Online condolences may be sent to the Cochran family at www.fry-gibbs.com
