Carol Jean Cochran

Carol Jean Catalde Cochran, age 75, of Madison CT, beloved wife of Walter Hugh Cochran Jr. for 53 years, passed away on Saturday December 5, 2015 at Yale New Haven Hospital. Carol was born June 23, 1940 in New Haven CT to the late Sebastian and Jean Catalde.

Carol was a graduate of East Haven High School in 1958 and of Grace New Haven Nursing School in 1961. She was a loving homemaker all her life and also worked at Goodwill in New Haven serving disabled adults, and later as a Special Education Assistant in the Guilford and Clinton school systems for over twenty five years, retiring in 2000. She was an active member of and a Lay Speaker for the United Methodist Church of Branford, CT.

She made her home with Walter in Madison for the last 37 years, and was a devoted wife and mother who cherished all her family and friends. She enjoyed baking, sewing, painting, writing poetry and any activity that included her three children and seven grandchildren. She especially enjoyed the Christmas season and was known for her love of Christmas music and writing a yearly Christmas poem that she would share in her Christmas cards. Carol will be most remembered for her strong faith and ability to communicate with anyone she met.

In addition to her husband, Walter, she is survived and will be dearly missed by her daughter Jeanne Allie and her husband David of Storrs CT, her daughter Susan Gerald of Groton CT, and her son Scott Cochran and his wife Laurie of Madison CT; her grandchildren John Allie, and his wife Juliana Flynn, Daniel Allie, Stephanie Gerald, Katy Allie, Nicholas Cochran, Jessica Gerald and Justin Cochran. She is also survived and dearly missed by her sister Janice Lieff and her husband Joel of Wappingers Falls, NY, her brother William Catalde and his wife Lois of Northford CT, and her brother Robert Catalde and his wife Diana of Orange CT, her brother-in-law Ernest Vongher of North Branford, CT, her special Aunt Helen Vercillo of Clearwater FL, and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends, all of whom were very special to her.

Visitation hours will be on Friday December 11 from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Swan Funeral Home in Madison CT. A Celebration of Life service will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday December 12 at the United Methodist Church of Branford, 811 East Main St, Branford CT. A reception will follow at the church. Burial will be private at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be offered in Carol’s memory to the United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 811 East Main St, Branford CT 06405 or Madison Ambulance Association, 9 Old State Hwy 79, Madison, CT 06443.