Virgil Lee Cochran

Virgil Lee Cochran, 90, of Steele, passed away Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015.

He was born March 2, 1924, in Alabama to the late W.E. Cochran and Jo Hannah Barron. He was united in marriage to Imogene Cooper on Dec. 19, 1949, in Osceola. Mr. Cochran served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific during World War II. He was a member of the American Legion Post 24 in Blytheville for 68 years. He worked for 36 years as an auto body mechanic for Sam Black Motor Co., Lee Motor Sales and Homer Wilson Motor Sales.

His hobbies were hunting, fishing and vegetable gardening. When someone would come by

and ask him to go fishing or hunting, he would say, "Give me time to grab my gun or fishing pole."

Mr. Cochran was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Mattie Bateman, Ruby

Cummings and Margaret Owings; and four brothers, Cleonard, Leonard, Elmer and Chester Cochran.

Survivors of Mr. Cochran include his wife, Imogene Cochran of the Number Eight Community;

Two daughters, Carla Brown of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and Jo Nell Mosley of Jackson Tennessee;

Five grandchildren, Corey Van Dyke, Tiffany Burton Hill and Hannah, Madison and Jackson

Brown; and

Two great-grandchildren, Tucker and Chandler Van Dyke.

Visitation for Mr. Cochran was March 2 at Powell Funeral Home in Steele. Funeral

services were held March 3 at Powell Funeral Home with the Rev. Don Tims Jr., the Rev. John Earl Dunavant and the Rev. Robert Travis officiating. Interment followed at Mount Zion Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Greg Powell, Steve Reid, Lee Dale Redden, Rick Mosley, William Burse

and Calvin Brandenburg. Honorary pallbearers were Carl Avis and John Hammie Smith.

Powell Funeral Home in Steele was in charge of arrangements.