150615 June 15, 2015
Robert E. "Bobby" Cochran
LHS '64
(1946 - 2015)
June 8, 2015 - Asleep in Jesus. Robert E. (Bob) Cochran, aged 68, of Huntsville, Alabama, died Monday, June 8th, 2015. He was preceded in death by his wife Sandy Linnenbringer Cochran in 2007. He was the son of Wilmer M. and Josephine B. Cochran of Huntsville, and is survived by his brother Joseph H. Cochran. Bob was born on August 20, 1946 in Jackson, Mississippi and grew up in Huntsville. He graduated from the first graduating class of Lee High School in 1964. Bob graduated from Auburn University in 1968 with a BS in Business Administration where he was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. Bob moved to the St. Louis area and worked with aerospace companies and retired from Hewlett Packard (Agilent Technology). Bob and Sandy were married in 1980 and lived in Florissant, MO. Bob collected paper money and was for many years the Secretary of the Society of Paper Money Collectors. Funeral services were Friday, June 12, 2015 at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in New Melle, MO. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Society.
Memphis, TN - I am saddened to hear of the loss of Bobby Cochran. For several years in a row Bobby attended the paper money show in Memphis and he is one of the few who always made a point to insure he set aside some time to get together with me to visit and catch up. Our meetings usually involved Memphis bar-b-que in some form or another in one of the local restaurants. It was always nice to have him visit.
The Day I Turned 16
by Cherri Polly Faber Massey
LHS '66
I turned 16 on August 19, 1964 while I was living at 2211 Maysville Rd. with my mother, stepfather, sister, and brother. My best friends were my cousins, Lynn and Judi Judge.
I was looking forward to turning 16 because I could get my drivers license. I think our car at that time was a Ford LTD. That was my form of transportation other than my aunt taking us to school and picking us up.
My favorite fun activity was hanging out with my cousins and dating occasionally. I loved to watch Peyton Place which came on three nights a week. We had to rush home from church on Sunday and Wednesday nights so we wouldn't miss the beginning.
My favorite type of music was anything on WAAY radio.
Up until that day, my best vacation ever had been going to Disneyland the first summer it was open.
My favorite food has always been Tex-Mex, and if I could eat anywhere I wanted to go to El Palacio. I also loved going to Bon Air. We only went out to eat on Sundays after church. My favorite beverage was Tab or Diet Rite Cola.
My favorite type of movie was anything Elvis and romantic comedies.
If I wanted to look good, I would wear my blue dress with a polka dot chiffon overlay and high heels. I would put on White Shoulders cologne.
My favorite subject in school was math, and I thought I wanted to go to David Lipscomb College in Nashville (which I did) when I graduated from high school.
I can't think of any particularly memorable decor in my room.
I had a crush on Steve Phillips, Buddy Brigman, .... My first REAL kiss was with Harry Renfroe when I was 14.
I would describe my parents as strict. I considered myself very self-conscious.
My favorite group/organization to which I belonged was East Huntsville Church of Christ.
My Nickname
J.R. Brooks
LHS '64
J. R. is definitely a nickname. The J. and R. are the initials of my actual name which I am not going to print here. I wish I could say when and why my parents began calling me J.R., but, I can’t. The name began when I was an infant and continues to this day.
The best explanation I can give is that my parents were so embarrassed by the name they gave me they decided they needed a “do over” and called me J.R. Maybe not.
J.R. Ewing created problems for me. Remember “who shot J.R.?” Computers will not accept an initial as a real name. Neither did the Army. Otherwise, I am satisfied that, whatever, the reason, my parents knew best.
From Our Mailbox
Subject: Reunions
Joel Weinbaum
LHS '64
Beth and I recently returned from my ship reunion, USS Carpenter Shipmates Association, held this year in Portland, OR, at the Red Lion Hotel on the River, Jantzen Beach. Beautiful hotel and grounds with a heated outdoor pool. We had a great time. Toured Bonneville Dam with its fish ladder. Salmon and trout are a big deal out there, but the high point of our trip, at least for me was our tour of the Evergreen Museum of Aviation and Space, home of Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose. Had waited all my life to see that controversial plane. Absolutely amazing, really made of plywood, nothing like you might see today at Home Depot, though. The real thrill, sitting in the cockpit, with me wearing a fedora, Beth in the co-pilot's seat, and having our picture made for $25. I was ready to pay a $100 to experience that. There have been some very famous people who've sat in those seats. Very nice facility. And we enjoyed the hospitality of the people. But we experienced other enjoyable parts of the Portland area including a boat ride to the downtown. Our bus took us to an overlook of the Columbia River Valley, first shrouded in fog when we arrived but then shortly cleared, and what a view. The Columbia is not unlike the Tennessee but flows much faster when running and double the length starting way up in Canada. Portland is inland but tidal effects do have influence on the river flow. We are ready to go back for a longer stay. The most notable feature was the tall stately Douglas Firs, straight up as an arrow. In the early settlement days of Portland its name initially was Stump Town, and the tops were painted white so in the dark you wouldn't trip, and you could fine jobs digging out stumps at 25 cents apiece. And it was named for Portland, ME. All for now.
