Charles "Charlie" Cochran

Charles Erwin Cochran was born July 25, 1935, in Columbiana, Ohio, to Erwin Cochran and Florence Gehrig Cochran. He graduated from Berea High School in 1953 and attended the College of Wooster for two years. In l958, he graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College with a B.A. in English. He served in the U.S. Army as a Personnel Specialist from June 1958 to March 1960. After his Army service he returned to Berea and married Lois Learn of Elyria, Ohio, on July 30, l960. He taught English for 3 years in Brunswick, Ohio, and for another 3 years at Olmsted Falls, Ohio. Also, he served as a team leader in the National Teacher Corps in Omaha for one year. Charlie and his family moved to Marshalltown in l964 where he took a position as Professor of English at Marshalltown Community College. He retired in 1997, after which he continued to teach part-time at the College. Charlie has served on the Marshalltown Little League Board, House of Compassion Board, Historical Society Board, and has been an active member of Hope United Methodist Church. He and Lois were also involved in Friendship Force and Sister Cities for many years and over the years have hosted numerous international students. His interests have included traveling, reading, gardening, bridge, bird watching, local and world history, Cleveland sports, cooking and attending his children's and grandchildren's activities. Charlie and Lois were blessed with four children Lisa (Rod) Fehrmann, and their children: Amy (Josh) Miller with children, Victoriah, Elijah, Isaiah, Hayden, Paul and Ella; Emily (Randy) Robinson and children, Kaleb, Kolby, Kinley and Kyler; Jeremy (Morgan) Fehrmann with Brynleigh; Hilary (Jake) Weatherman and children, Dawson, Benjamin, and Charlotte; Whitney Fehrmann (Lane Walton); and Joshua Fehrmann; Steve (Taeko) Cochran and children, Naomi (Jacob) and Sage;  Jim Cochran (Lisa) and their son, Sebastian; and Don Cochran with daughter Elle. Charlie will be remembered for his sense of humor, his affection for his family and for his love of teaching. Memorial contributions in Charlie's name may be directed to the MCC Scholarship Fund or to Hope United Methodist Church in Marshalltown.  A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, November 25, 2019, at Hope United Methodist Church Marshalltown. Visitation will be from 5 - 7 p.m. Sunday at Hope United Methodist Church, November 24, 2019. Condolences may be expressed at www.mitchellfh.com