Hazel C. Cochran

Hazel Claire Cochran, age 87, of New Hampton peacefully passed to the Lord’s hands on Sunday, July 20, 2014, at the New Hampton Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. She was surrounded by her loving family in her departure. Hazel was born to Severt and Henrietta (Robinson) Roberson on May 10, 1927, on the family farm south of Jerico, Iowa, the third of five children. Hazel grew up attending elementary school in a one room school house near the family home, and was confirmed in the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod at Jerico Lutheran Church in 1940. While attending New Hampton High School, where she graduated in 1945, she stayed with her grandparents in New Hampton. In May 1945, her family was involved in an automobile accident that took her mother’s life and required several months of rehabilitation for Hazel and her sister Donna. Following high school, she worked in her family’s coal business. On February 6, 1949, she was wed to Oliver “Bud” Cochran at Jerico Lutheran Church. Together they ran the family farm northeast of New Hampton. They raised five children – Connie, William (“Merle”), Sharon, Lee, and Annette. Hazel made a point of saying that she had no favorite child – she loved them all equally. She actively supported her family’s religious, 4-H, and school activities. She enjoyed family vacations in Clear Lake, Minnesota, South Dakota, Colorado, and Virginia. In recent years, she was able to travel to Washington, Tennessee, Illinois, Arizona, and North Carolina to spend time with family. In 1968, Hazel began working for Carey Vrzak Realtors in New Hampton and retired in 1993 after 25 years of service. Following her retirement, she volunteered at the New Hampton Senior Community Center, Treasure Chest, and Jerico Lutheran Church Ladies Auxiliary group. Her priorities in life were her belief in the Lord, raising a good family in a welcoming home, always making sure that everyone had enough to eat, cooking and baking, especially making lefse, and a great card game with family and friends. Family members celebrating her life include children William (Pam) Cochran of Cedar Falls, IA, Sharon (Joe) Haskovec of Youngtown, AZ, Lee (Tammy) Cochran of Newton, IA, and Annette Parker of Park Ridge, IL; her grandchildren Ryan Wendel of Mankato, MN, Jason (Michaela) Wendel of Whittemore, IA, Stacy Cochran (James MacDiarmid) of New York, NY, Shayne Cochran of Cedar Falls, IA, Lyndsey Cochran of West Des Moines, IA, Jeremy (Natalie) Haskovec of Peoria, AZ, Jarrett (Angie) Haskovec of Chandler, AZ, Nolan Haskovec of New York, NY, Jesse Cochran and Shelbey Cochran of Newton, IA, and Claire Parker and Katherine Parker of Park Ridge, IL; eight great-grandchildren; her son-in-law Robert Wendel; her sister Sibyl (Manly) Fliger of Spokane, WA; and several nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank all family and friends for their visits, prayers, and thoughtfulness throughout her life, especially during her recent challenges. She was preceded in death by her parents, Severt and Henrietta Roberson, her husband, Oliver Cochran (October 1999), daughter Connie (Cochran) Wendel (September 1984), brother, James Roberson (June 1996), sisters Donna (Roberson) Jones (June 1994) and Anne (Roberson) Grace (January 2000).