Mary L. Cochran

MARY L. COCHRAN

Cedar Rapids

Mary Cochran was a sweet, instantly lovable and upbeat mother, grandmother, great-, and great-great-grandmother. She passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones on July 12, 2021, at age 101.

Mary was born in Casselton, N.D., on Oct. 18, 1919, to Leo and Ruth Heinen. She lived all over the United States, including Iowa, with her first husband Arthur S. Elliot Sr., who served as a CWO in the U.S. Army until his death in 1957. Mary brought her family back to Iowa where she later married Todd Cochran.

She took immense pride in her position of lead receptionist at Iowa Manufacturing, where she started in 1964 and worked until her retirement in 1982.

Mary was preceded in death by her two husbands, Arthur S. Elliott Sr. and Todd Cochran; her sister, Lucille Rolfe; daughter, Arlene Littrel; and son, Arthur Elliott Sr.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Ardyth Cubbage; and her grandchildren, John Littrel, Nicholle Littrel, Michelle O'Neill, Kelly Nolte, Arthur Elliott Sr., Angela Sanders and Kim Elliott.

All that knew Mary were well aware she was a woman of simple pleasures and whose youthful exuberance later in life often led others to be astonished at her true age. Word quickly spread on how dangerous it could be to get between Mary and her daily breakfast of an English muffin with piping hot black coffee!

While Mary, with her contagious laugh, will be missed every day, so many of us will move forward, better off for having her as a truly great example of how to enjoy life while we are here.

A visitation and funeral service is scheduled from

10 a.m. to noon on July 21, at Cedar Memorial in Cedar Rapids.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society or a charity of your choice.