Whitman County Gazette 

Nancy Watson Elder Cochran

Febr. 21, 1932 May 26, 2022

 

Nancy Watson Elder Cochran passed away May 26, 2022, in Spokane Valley, Wash.

She was born Feb. 21, 1932, in Fargo, N.D., the first of eight children born to Omer and Marjean (Crites) Watson. Omer moved the family to Garfield, Wash., when Nancy was about 4 years old.

She graduated from Garfield High School in 1952. She elected not to serve as valedictorian since she was a returning student and not graduating with her original class.

Tom and his eldest three daughters (Jeanie, Jan, Cheryl) were in the audience when she proudly received her diploma. Their fourth daughter, Betsy, was born in 1953.

Nancy married Tom Elder in 1948 and they raised four daughters on the family farm in Garfield.

Nancy worked with Tom on the farm in the early years of their marriage and then worked in a variety of jobs throughout her lifetime: grocery checker, drug store clerk, florist shop owner and in her favorite position as owner/operator of an in-home daycare in Garfield.

She enjoyed cooking for the children and helping with their homework and even taught a few children to ride a bike.

Nancy cooked for the Garfield Lions Club for a few years and was a member of the Order of Eastern Star.

She was active with PTA and campaigned door-to-door to get the Garfield swimming pool funded and built. She was active in the Methodist Church and assisted with annual bazaars and luncheons.

After Tom's death in 1996, Nancy wed Bernard Cochran in 1997. They enjoyed traveling, especially to Alaska numerous times. Another highlight for Nancy was a cruise through the Panama Canal. She and Bernie spent 22 winters together in Yuma, Ariz., where they appreciated the sunshine and made many friends.

Nancy was an accomplished seamstress, making dresses for her four daughters. She was also a talented knitter, making many sweaters and hundreds of baby booties and dish cloths. Later in life she made dozens of quilts and little blankets for charity. She was a member of a quilting group in Yuma, where members made quilts to donate to Veterans.

Nancy and Bernie delighted in raising a beautiful vegetable garden each summer (with help from friends, Mickey and Richard Leinweber). Nancy was always generous, sharing her produce with others; she enjoyed cooking and baking and sharing treats with anyone who came along.

Nancy was preceded in death by her husbands, Tom Elder and Bernie Cochran; daughter, Jeanie Peterson; sisters, Dorothy Silvey and Suzanne Babb; grandson, Joey "J.D." Elder; son-in-law, Michael Williams; and her parents, Omer and Marjean Watson.

Nancy is survived by five siblings, Jean McCown, Carolyn (Ron) May, Omar (George Shriver) Watson, Riley Watson and Paula (Hal) Collier. She is also survived by daughters, Jan (Dan) Hinton, Cheryl Elder and Betsy Williams; nine grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Nancy's life will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25, 2022, at Centerplace Regional Event Center at Mirabeau Park, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, Wash.

Donations in Nancy's memory may be made to Shriner's Children's Spokane, 911 W. Fifth Ave., Spokane WA 99204.

 

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