Linda L. Besson CochranMENTONE – Linda L. Besson Cochran, 83, of Mentone, passed at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, at Kosciusko Community Hospital of Warsaw.
Linda was born on April 12, 1938, in Warsaw, to the late William Earl and Leona Leininger Besson. She was raised by her father, and, after her mother’s passing, her stepmother, Lela. She was married on May 20, 1961, in Mentone, to William "Bill" M. Cochran, who preceded her in death on March 15, 2018.
She was a 1956 graduate of Mentone High School. Linda had been the assistant librarian and a teacher’s aide at Mentone Elementary School, retiring in 1993. She had been a lifetime and very dedicated member of the Mentone Church of Christ. She was on the board and served many roles for the Lawrence D. Bell Aircraft Museum and helped organize Rotors Over Mentone. Linda enjoyed genealogy and took great interest in history. She was a key member of curating the Mentone Historical Museum, where she was known to give tours. She had also been a member of the Mentone M&M Extension Club and the Bell Memorial Public Library where she served with the Friends of the Library.
Linda was a seamstress and loved to make clothes for her granddaughters, Jennifer and Krista. She, along with the ladies of the church, made cancer caps for the children at Riley’s as well as for the community. Linda and Bill were honored as past parade marshals for the Mentone Egg Festival. Over the years, she had been an active part of the Mentone Alumni Committee. She was known to be a community-minded person that enjoyed helping fellow Bulldogs and friends in all ranges of events and activities.
Linda is survived by daughters: Leisa Norman, of Mentone; and Laura and husband Jeff Felzien, of South Vienna, Ohio; grandchildren: Jennifer and husband T.J. Keathley and Krista and husband Nate Peterson, both of Fairborn, Ohio; sister-in-law, Lois Besson, of Carmel; brothers-in-law: Skip Cochran and Dan Stine; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bill; an infant son, Gary Dean Cochran; a brother, Keith Besson; and stepmother, Lela Besson.
Visitation hours will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15 at King Memorial Home, 101 N. Tucker St., Mentone.
The funeral service will take place at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 16 at King Memorial Home, Mentone, with Minister Kent Jones officiating.
The interment will take place in the Mentone Cemetery, Mentone, next to her husband.
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Memorial contributions can be made in Linda’s memory to the Lawrence D. Bell Aircraft Museum or the Mentone Church of Christ.
Share a memory or send an online condolence at www.hartzlerfuneralservices.com.
