Doug was born Nov. 13, 1943, in Habersham County, the son of the late Walter and Mildred Cochran, was a former teacher, head football coach and administrator at Cass High School and recently retired Associate Broker from Asher Realty. He was a faithful, lifelong member of Cassville Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and was a Sunday school teacher for 30 years. Recently, Cassville Baptist Church presented Doug with a plaque that stated, "In Appreciation, Doug Cochran for 30 years of Faithfully Teaching Sunday School at Cassville Baptist Church. An Outstanding Leader, Teacher, and Example of our Lord Jesus Christ."
He was married to Janice McPherson Cochran for 47 wonderful years, a devoted father of three children and a proud paw-paw of eight grandchildren. He was a friend to everyone. He never needed to be asked twice to lend a helping hand to individuals and organizations such as the Salvation Army. He was honored by the Bartow Area Board of Realtors with a Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding and progressive leadership displayed within the Board, the Community and the Real Estate Industry. Most recently, the Bartow County School System honored him by unanimous vote and named the new Cass High School football stadium, Doug Cochran Stadium.
He was preceded in death by his grandson, Christopher Thompson (Chris); his parents; his brother, Bill Cochran; his brothers-in-law Earl Hale, and Bill Knight; his uncle, Lawrence Cochran; and aunts, Margie McAfee and Marie Jordan; his uncles, Hugh and Raymond Kinney; aunts, Pauline Kinney, Irene Hubbard and Beryl Whitener.
Surviving are his wife, Janice Cochran; his children and spouses, Kelli and Tim Thompson, Kathi and Lloyd Scheff and Kent and Julie Cochran; grandchildren, Matthew and Zachary Thompson, Blake Douglas (Blake), Janna Kate and Kalli Beth Scheff and Grace and Douglas Walter Duncan Cochran (Walt), all of Cartersville; siblings and spouses, Dennis and Judy Cochran of Calhoun, JoAnn and Ronnie Nix, Terri and Ken Frasier and Carolyn Hale, all of Cartersville; brothers/sisters-in-law and their spouses, Jean and Jack Jones, Junior and Carolyn McPherson, Joyce and Max Scoggins, Joe and Joyce McPherson, Judy Knight, all of Cartersville, and Kathy Cochran of Slidell, La.; uncle, Wallace Cochran of Batesville, Miss., and uncles, Frank and Harvey Kinney all of Clarksville, and Ernest Kinney of Mt. Airy.
The family will receive friends at Cassville Baptist Church, Friday, April 22, from 5 to 9 p.m. A Celebration Service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at Cassville Baptist Church, Rev. Mark Somers officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens.
Pallbearers include grandsons, Matthew Thompson, Zachary Thompson, Blake Scheff; Walt Cochran, sons-in-law, Tim Thompson and Lloyd Scheff, and friend Joe Heath. Honorary pallbearers include Dan Clark and the entire Asher Realty Family.
In Lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Cassville Baptist Church Building Fund c/o Cassville Baptist Church, P.O. Box 568, Cassville, GA 30123.
Please visit www.owenfunerals.com to sign the online register book and post tributes.
Owen Funeral Home, 12 Collins Drive SE, Cartersville, has charge of the funeral arrangements.