Dorothy “Dot” Cochran

January 11, 2022

Dorothy “Dot” Cochran left this world on January 11, 2022 at the age of 97 after an active and full life. Dot was born Dorothy Pauline Hunter in Mercer, PA as the youngest of 9 children who predeceased her. Noble Cochran won her heart early on and the pair were married for sixty years before his death. They moved to New Castle, PA and raised 3 children, Kathy Cochran McAfee (Jerry McAfee), David Cochran, and Charles Cochran (Kathy Grube Cochran). She lit up when spending time with her family, particularly her 4 grandchildren, Kim Bruni Smithers (Clay Smithers), Kerry Bruni (Matt Curto), Drew Cochran, and Brad Cochran and her 7 great grandchildren: Alex, Ryan, Zack, Sara, Zoe. Tate, and Beau. Always an active member of her churches, Bee Ridge Presbyterian, Sarasota, and former member of Glen-Moore Presbyterian, New Castle. Dot had an unwavering and strong, but quiet faith. She was a devoted volunteer for church committees, served as a member of the Jameson Hospital Guild in New Castle, and volunteered with Meals on Wheels for over 25 years. Dot woke every weekday morning at 5am for many years to make her husband a thermos of coffee and pack his lunch, then sat down with her own coffee and her latest mystery or romance book. When the sun rose, she would set off on a brisk 2-3 mile walk. Dot felt most alive in warm weather and on a beach, so the two relocated to Sarasota, FL for retirement. She enjoyed a good weekly golf game with friends and the brunch that followed. Friends knew to choose their bridge partners carefully as she was a card shark, quite competitive with all the games she played, even Wii Bowling! Dot loved a party and took up line, ballroom, and square dancing to be sure she could be found in the middle of the action. She never missed a happy hour or mealtime and was often found gripping a handful of snacks. She could be mischievous, known to ignore all rules but her own. Though she loved eating, she was not a good cook, often too impatient to pay attention to something as mundane as a recipe. Her laughter and love will be missed by those lucky enough to have known her. Dot’s spunk and tenaciousness gave her many years of a happy life. The family will celebrate with a small private ceremony in the coming weeks and ask for donations to TideWell Hospice (Bradenton) in lieu of flowers as they provided devoted and loving care for Dot in her last few days.