Carolyn Cole Cochrane was born in Philadelphia on April 21, 1936, to John Emery Cole, Jr., and Ethel Marie Denkhaus. She went home to be with the Lord on November 27, 2024.

Carolyn graduated from Haverford High School in 1954, although she was in the Upper Darby schools up through tenth grade. She then took the two-year secretarial course at Drexel Institute of Technology (now Drexel University). After graduating, she took a job with Sun Oil Company as a secretary in the engineering department. One day in 1956, her boss Boyd (Mac) McConkey was meeting with an engineer on loan from the Marcus Hook refinery to discuss the recent ammonia plant explosion. He called her into his office to take a dictation. That engineer was Gordon Schaefer Cochrane. Her beautiful smile and the twinkle in her eye caught his attention. Soon they were dating, and married on September 6, 1958, at the Union Methodist Church in Havertown, Penna. She continued working at Sun until 1963, when Gordon was transferred to San Francisco. Together, they built their home of forty-four years on Meadow Lane and raised two daughters, Carol Susan and Kathleen Marie, there. She and Gordon moved several times with his work, but always returned to that home. She enjoyed the adventure of living in new places. After Gordon retired, they traveled to many exotic places.

Carolyn’s biggest joys were being Gordon’s wife and Carol and Kathy’s mom. She was always involved in her daughters’ schools, helping with the PTA, in the library, or with the band parents. Even after leaving Sun, she used her secretarial and organizational skills. She helped in the office of Goshen Baptist Church for many years, kept minutes for the Council and Missions Committee when Gordon was chairman, and edited the church newsletter Jots & Tittles for 14 years. She also volunteered in the Spanish Health Ministry’s office in Kennett Square. She and Gordon traveled to Mexico to help a missionary organize his church office and library.

Carolyn was a great hostess, whether for large family gatherings at her Meadow Lane home or for missionaries passing through the area. She was known for her good cooking, especially her desserts—the more chocolate the better. She loved to serve others, preferably by staying behind the scenes. She loved learning new things, always asking questions and reading books.

She greatly missed Gordon when he passed away in 2015, but bravely kept on keeping on. Four years later, it became clear she needed more care and moved into the memory unit at Garden Spot Village. She quickly endeared herself to the staff with her easy-going nature and sense of humor. She enjoyed all the activities, especially bingo and jigsaw puzzles. She was their longest-term resident, earning the nickname of “O.G.”

She is survived by her two daughters and sons-in-law, Carol and Charles Kankelborg of Bozeman, Mont.; and Kathleen and Alan Coward of Landenberg, Penna.; and grandchildren Emma, Brent (Emma), Lindsay, Alondra (Tim), and America (Shay). She was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-six years Gordon Schaefer Cochrane, her parents, and her younger brother John (Jack) Emery Cole, III.

A memorial service will be held in the Garden Spot Village–Garden Towers (433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, PA 17557) on Saturday, December 7 at 11am.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Spanish Health Ministry (205 E. State Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348) or to the Garden Spot Village Benevolence Fund.