Sonny was born in Orange, Texas to James Henry Cochran, Sr. and Mary Akin Cochran. He was the youngest of four children.
He is preceded in death by his parents and by his sisters, Margaret Murray and Jane Cochran.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Beard Cochran, of Austin; sister, Mary Cochran Bohls, of Austin; daughter, Christine Cochran, of Keller, step-son, Christopher McCollum (husband Ed Casey) of San Antonio; step-son, Kevin McCollum (wife Lisa) of Cedar Park; grandson, Tyler McCollum (wife Shayna) of Austin; and grandson, Ethan McCollum of Cedar Park.
Sonny, who will be eternally rooting for the Longhorn football team, graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in advertising. Although he had the charm and wit of an ad man, and the skill to sell you the shirt off his back, his unwavering kindness and generosity would more than likely lead him to just give it to you instead.
Sonny was well-read, well-travelled and well-rounded. He enjoyed frequent travelling, both domestic and world-wide. His favorite destination was the island of Bonaire, where he went at least nine times. Sonny made friends everywhere he went, and kept in touch with them throughout the years.
Among his many other interests were playing tennis and drinking coffee with his friends at Caswell; film acting, having appeared in numerous movies and commercials; and proudly serving as co-leader of daycare for his grandchildren, Tyler and Ethan, for many years. Sonny cherished all of these roles and carried out each of them with more enthusiasm than the next.
His greatest and most obvious passion for many years, however, was his art. Oil, watercolor, landscapes, seascapes, people…if you sat still long enough, he would paint your portrait. “I have so many pictures-things I need to paint,” he said. Sonny saw beauty in everything.
Graveside service will be at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, 2800 Hancock Drive, Austin, Texas at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
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