Grant Cochran was born on February 26, 1973, at St. Francis Hospital in Mountain View, Missouri. His parents were James “Jim” Willard Cochran, Jr. and Janis Alene (Orchard) Cochran. Grant was married on December 10, 1994, to Alicia Dee Stanford, and to this union, two children were born.
Grant left this life on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at 10:56 p.m. at University Hospital in Iowa City, surrounded by family. He was 49 years old.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father; grandparents, Arthur Verne Orchard and Dana “Peggy” Elizabeth (Bales) Orchard, James Willard Cochran, Sr., and Ruth Helen (Mays) Cochran; and aunt, Judy (Cochran) Murphy and her husband, Floyd Murphy.
He is survived by one son, Takoda Lane Cochran and Kaylea Michelle Smith, and her two children of Mexico, MO; one daughter, Chelsie Nichole Cochran and her child of Laddonia, MO; four sisters, Tammy Lynn Orchard of Birch Tree, MO, Candra Sharnell (McCabe) McGee and husband, Stacey of Birch Tree, MO, Delfina Marie (Happy) Holmes of Rolla, MO, and Bridget Kenega and husband, Brock of Mountain View, MO; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Grant was a talented artist. He loved to draw and give tattoos. He was a shade tree mechanic, a first responder, a volunteer firefighter, and a tree trimmer. He was great at all these things.
Grant followed his heart to Ottumwa, Iowa, and he said he felt a pull on him to stay because he felt he had a purpose there. Not much is known after his move, but he made lifelong friends there. He loved his dog, Jinx, and being outdoors. Grant will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
A family-guided memorial service will be at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 5, 2022, at the Oak Grove Baptist Church, Birch Tree, Missouri, with Pastor Jeff Brake officiating. Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Yarber Mortuary, Mountain View, Missouri. Memorial donations may be made to the future community center of Birch Tree, Missouri.
