KNOXVILLE - Arla Evelyn Cochran, 83, of 1119 Blaze Road, Knoxville, Ill., died at 3:42 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, at Knox County Nursing Home in Knoxville, Ill.
She was born March 4, 1924, in Knoxville, Ill., the daughter of Axel V. and Selma Eklund Stomberg. She married Lloyd Everette Cochran on June 6, 1947, in Knoxville, Ill. He preceded her in death on Feb. 3, 2004.
Surviving are one daughter, Joanne (Richard) Carlson of Elmwood, Ill.; two sons, Roger (Kaye) Cochran of Knoxville, Ill., and Duane (Kathy) Cochran of Allen, Texas; seven grandchildren, Tara Cochran of Corinth, Miss., Ryan (Emma) Cochran of Knoxville, Ill., Leah Cochran of Knoxville, Ill., Rily Cochran of Knoxville, Ill., Eric Carlson of Edwardsville, Ill., Sonya Carlson of Elmwood, Ill., and Gwen Cochran of Allen, Texas; two great-grandchildren, Blake and Ava Cochran of Knoxville, Ill.; one sister, Verda Didee of Sioux City, Iowa; and one brother, Virgil Stomberg of St. Joe, Ind.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
She attended the Egypt School in rural Knoxville, Ill., and graduated from the Knoxville High School in 1941. She then attended Illinois State Teachers College in Macomb, Ill., from 1941 until 1943.
She taught school at Red Oak in Sparta Township and Union School east of Knoxville, Ill., for five years from 1943 to 1948. She was a substitute teacher for District 202 in Knoxville, Ill., for several years. She was a homemaker and farmed with her husband in rural Knoxville, Ill.
She was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Knoxville, Ill., and its Rebekah Unit. She was a member of the Egypt Neighbor Club, Neighborhood Card Club, Knox County Home Extension, Knox County Farm Bureau and VASA in Bishop Hill, Ill. She was active in the 4-H Club and Grade School PTA, where she was secretary.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. today, Jan. 23, 2008, at Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Home and Crematory in Knoxville, Ill. The Revs. Michel D. Clark and John King will officiate. Visitation will be from 12 noon until 1 p.m. today, Jan. 23, 2008, at the funeral home. Burial will be in Knoxville Cemetery in Knoxville, Ill.
Memorials may be made to the Grace Lutheran Church in Knoxville, Ill., or the Galesburg Rescue Mission.