Martha Ella Cochran

Martha Ella Cochran, age 83, of Crab Orchard, passed away on Monday, December 30, 2019 at Raleigh General Hospital. Born on May 27, 1936 in McAlpine, West Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Elmer Persinger and Mabel Floyd Persinger.

Martha was a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother. Her life was a living example of pointing others to Christ. Her faithfulness included serving as a Sunday school teacher at Hilltop Baptist Church and hosting Child Evangelism Fellowship clubs at her home. Many others turned to her for wise counsel. She enjoyed planting and caring for flowers, reading, and working puzzles.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Opal Dearing, Virginia Caudill and Connie Cook; her brothers, Jack Persinger, Virgil Persinger and Elmer Nixon Persinger; and her granddaughter, Nicole Cochran.

Those left to cherish her memory is her husband of over 57 years, Dallas Cochran; children, Dallas Cochran, Jr. and his wife, Melanye of Hudson Oaks, TX, John Cochran and his wife, Tamiko of Virginia Beach, VA, Lesa Hess and her husband, Mike of Beckley, and Noah Cochran and his wife, Sarah of Crab Orchard; grandchildren, Michael Valentine, Chyanna Booker and her husband, Paul, Blaque Cochran, Johnny Cochran and his wife, Meg, Michael Cochran and his wife, Karen, Bryson Hess, Taylor Cochran, Tessa Cochran and Elianna Cochran; great-grandchildren, Dominik Jarman, Colby Booker, Jalynn Booker, Mikey Cochran and Levi Cochran; sister, Kay DeHart and her husband, Bernard of Fayetteville, WV; her sister-in-law, Barbara Persinger of Beckley; and her special caregiver, Molly Cannady.

The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 pm, Friday evening, January 3, 2019 at Blue Ridge Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, January 4, 2019 in the Chapel of Blue Ridge Funeral Home with Pastor Robert Ingram officiating. For those who wish, the family will receive friends one hour before the service on Saturday beginning at 10:00 am. Entombment will follow the funeral service in the Faith Mausoleum in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens.

Serving as pallbearers will be her grandsons, Johnny Cochran, Michael Cochran, Bryson Hess; nephew, Fred Hart, Jr.; and friends, Walt Burch and Steve Meadows.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.blueridgefuneralhome.com. Blue Ridge Funeral Home & Crematorium has the honor of serving the family.