Obituary of Frederick Laws Cochrane

Frederick Laws Cochrane of Saint John, husband of the late Marjorie “Marnie” (Hunter) Cochrane, occurred on Friday, January 21, 2011 at the Ridgewood Veteran’s Centre. Born at Amherst, Nova Scotia on February 22, 1922, he was a son of the late Frederick Arnold and Helena (Laws) Cochrane. Fred was a Veteran of World War II, serving overseas with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Upon his return, he was appointed Deputy Town Clerk in Amherst, NS. After three years, he accepted a commercial travelers position on the sales staff of Marven’s of Moncton, and was transferred to Yarmouth, NS, covering the territory of Annapolis Royal – Yarmouth – Mill Village. In 1952 he was transferred to Halifax and covered the area of Waverly – Dartmouth – Chezecook and North Halifax. In 1958 he was transferred to Saint John and covered the territory of Saint John North – Saint John West, and the St. John River run to Hampstead, as well as to Grand Manan. On retirement of Lawrence Price, Fred was appointed Branch Manager. When Marven’s was sold to Westons, Fred resigned and was the first salesman hired in the Maritimes by the Dare Foods supervisor in Halifax, covering the territory of Sussex – Saint John – Edmundston, and Grand Manan. In 1969, Fred purchased the Whittaker Grocery on Millidge Avenue. After approximately ten years, he moved to Douglas Avenue, and after another ten years sold his business and retired. Fred was a former member of the Yarmouth Royal Canadian Legion, the Yarmouth Curling Club, Zion United Baptist Church, Dartmouth United Baptist Church, Amherst Curling Club, Amherst First Baptist Church, the Saint John Thistle Curling Club, the Rothesay Bridge Club, and Germain Street Baptist Church, where he had served as Financial Secretary. Fred was also a member of the United Commercial Travellers, and the previous Maritime Commercial Travellers Association. Fred enjoyed gardening, curling, baseball, and hockey. He was a weekly volunteer at the Food Basket. Fred is survived by two sons, David Cochrane (Levern) of Quispamsis, NB and Brian Cochrane (Lynn) of Fredericton, NB; four grandchildren, Shelby Stevenson (Tony), Christopher Cochrane (Christine), Ryan Cochrane (Elizabeth Kierstead) and Jonathan Cochrane ( Jillian Thomas); six great-grandchildren, Marshal and Bryce Stevenson, Julia and Meaghan Cochrane, and Aiden and Patrick Kierstead-Cochrane; a sister, Mary Evelyn Jackson of Amherst; and several nieces and nephews. Resting at Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, (634-7424), with visiting on Monday, January 24, 2011 from 4 pm - 8 pm. The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 2:00 pm. Interment will take place at a later date in the Amherest Cemetery. For those who wish, remembrances to a charity of the donor’s choice would be appreciated by the family. Online condolences may be placed at www.brenansfh.com.