Laura Elyse Wright Cochran was born in Mobile, Alabama to George W. and Laura Elyse (Hagen) Wright on June 25, 1947 and spent most of her life in the Mobile metropolitan area. She was called back home to Heaven to be with our Lord on October 23, 2020 after a long, arduous and valiant struggle to survive a firestorm of injuries from her COVID-19 infection.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters Linda A. Webster (Joe) and Rebecca Leps. She is survived by her husband Norman Boyd Israel, sons Troy Donovan Cochran (Gayle) and Christopher Jared Israel (Heidi), granddaughters Yolonda Houle (Scott) and Sarah Elizabeth Israel, grandson Dustin Johnson (Dallas), great grandsons Zac (Megan)and Alex Houle, and great granddaughter Breanna Houle, as well as, in-laws Peggy Doerschuk (David), Eileen Correa (John), Becky Hart (Randy Guidry), Bobby Hart (Paula), Norman Hart (Gabby), numerous nieces, nephews and cousins and close friends Betty Houston, Rachael Tew and Sharon Blan.
She lived a long and productive life, enriching countless lives in both personal and work interactions while embodying the spirit of the kind, genteel and caring southern lady surrounded by a steely resolve. A graduate of McGill-Toulan, she went on to obtain Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from USA. She accepted a teaching position with the Mobile County School System and spent the next 25 years teaching migrant children math and then sixth graders at Dickson Elementary in Bayou LaBatre. She required that her math students solve math problems completely in their heads without use of crutches, such as calculators, pencil and paper, and air writing, preparing and arming them against life's future challenges. After a while, she had the privilege of teaching the children of her early students.
Meeting and getting to know Norman stirred within her a deep desire to travel with him on his frequent extended business and personal trips with which continued full time employment greatly interfered and resulted in her decision to retire as soon as she became eligible. She really relished and enjoyed going to new places, seeing new sights, and finding special places to eat, drink and shop interspersed with trying new experiences and adventures. Their travels encompassed land, sea and air modes of transportation. She had just returned from a relaxing, soul satisfying road trip to middle American National and state parks when she became infected. When home between trips, she volunteered at the Providence Hospital gift shop on Monday afternoons for over a decade and spent most other days in her gardens tending to her wide variety of flowers, fruit trees, exotic plants and vegetables and enjoying family gatherings, outings and occasions. She was also blessed to have a long string of fantastic puppies to provide her with comfort, joy, pleasure and love over the years.
Viewing will be from 4 to 6 PM at Mobile Memorial Gardens on Tuesday October 27, 2020 with Funeral Services commencing at 10 AM on Wednesday October 28, 2020 followed afterward by interment in the Gardens.
1947-2020
A chapel service will be held at 10am on Wednesday, 10/28/2020 from Funeral Home, followed by a committal service at the grave site.
