Margaret Lois Fredrick Cochran

Margaret Lois Fredrick Cochran, 95, passed peacefully from this life on April 4, 2017. 

She was born on October 1, 1921, in Sioux City, Iowa to Ernest and Viola Fredrick.  Due to her father’s work with YMCA, Margaret and her family moved a number of times before settling in Dallas, Texas.  Upon graduation from Woodrow Wilson High School, Margaret entered Southern Methodist University (SMU) where she pledged Chi Omega Sorority and played on the tennis team.  While singing in the City Temple Presbyterian Church in Dallas, she met the love of her life Ernest Winston Cochran. Winston was finishing his medical training at Baylor Medical School. 

On September 12, 1941, Margaret and Winston were married.  After December 7, 1941, Winston joined the United States Navy where he became a surgeon assigned to a Marine battalion serving in the South Pacific.  Following the War, Margaret and Winston settled in Galveston, Texas so that Winston could finish his medical training as a psychiatrist. During that time their two daughters were born, Carrie Margaret (Peggy) in 1945 and Patricia Anne (Tricia) in 1948.

Late in 1948 Margaret and Winston moved to Beaumont, Texas, where Winston began his practice as a highly successful psychiatrist. Margaret and Winston continued their interest in music by being soloists in the Westminster Presbyterian Church choir and participating in the Beaumont Opera Workshop. Margaret had a beautiful lyric soprano voice while Winston was a basso profundo. 

As Winston worked to build his practice, Margaret’s time was filled with raising the family.  This family increased with the birth of Ernest Winston Jr. (Ernie) in 1953.  Having been raised to value volunteerism, Margaret became actively involved in her children’s activities. She served as PTA President at specific schools and city-wide. She was on boards for YWCA, Camp Fire Girls of America, and Beaumont Independent School District.  At church she taught Sunday school, Bible School, and served as one of the first female elders of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.  She was also a member of the board for the Jefferson County Medical Auxiliary.

Margaret was a gracious hostess, loving wife, wonderful mother, and adoring grandmother.  When Winston retired in 1984, they retired to their second home in Wildwood, Texas. They became active in the Wildwood Methodist Church and AARP. They became avid birders and world travelers.  They enjoyed their “new” life until 2001 when Winston died of cancer.  They had been married for fifty-nine years.

Due to health reasons Margaret moved in with her daughter Peggy in Beaumont in 2005.  She lived there until 2013 when she moved into Atria Collier Park Senior Living where she became the queen of bingo.

Margaret is preceded in death by her mother and father, Viola and Ernest Fredrick, her brother Robert Fredrick, and her husband Winston Cochran.

She is survived by her children, Peggy Graham of Beaumont; Tricia Crowley and her husband, Lee, of League City; and Ernie Cochran and his wife, Pat, of Paris, Texas; granddaughters, Amy Graham Goodman and Heather Cochran Provo; grandsons, Chris Crowley, Carl Crowley, Bryan Graham, Trace Cochran, James Paul Cochran, Matt Cochran; five great-grandchildren; and two nephews, Bob and Ashley Fredrick.

The family would like to thank Sherrill Mayes, Ronda Broussard, and Belinda Dill for their loving and compassionate care of Margaret. Thanks also go to Lorri Robertson and Susan McCombs from Harbor Hospice and Atria Collier Park.

A gathering of Mrs. Cochran’s family and friends will be from 3:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., Sunday, April 9, 2017, at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 1350 North 23rd Street, Beaumont. Her funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 10, 2017, at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.  A private family graveside service will be held at Cedar Grove Cemetery, Trinity.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 1350 North 23rd Street, Beaumont, Texas 77706.