Sharon Shari Marie Milliken Cochran

Sharon Marie Cochran was a dynamic daughter of her Heavenly Father. She was adventurous, fun loving, full of life, and always giving to her family and friends. Her compassionate nature would always shine through, revealing her charm, warmth and conscientious demeanor. She was warmhearted, gentle and organized in all the things she sought to accomplish. She was quite the comedian, always eager to participate in making family and friends laugh. Although she didn't see herself as one, Shari was a mentor, a natural “teacher” capable of seeing things clearly, leading others and bringing out the best in all of those around her. She generally had a focus on harmony and peace.

Shari was born on January 27, 1943 at home in Los Angles. Her parents were James and Ellen Milliken. Shari and her family spent their early years growing up on a Trout Farm in Eugene, Oregon. Due to the family farm being lost in a fire they moved to Los Angles, California. Even as a child, in spite of the seemingly insurmountable family difficulties Shari endured with her brothers Jim, Joel and her sister Diana, she was still always seen in family photos with a bright hopeful smile. Through all of this, as Shari grew up she used these experiences to become a loving, caring, nurturing Mother and friend, showing you can rise up from adversity and never give up.

Shari grew up with three siblings. She had one older brother, Jim, an older sister, Diana and a younger brother, Joel. As a little girl she was known as being a jabberbox, always asking questions, wanting explanations. She had so many questions she wanted answered and not nearly enough time to ask all those questions, let alone get all the answers. Due to life on the trout farm Shari and her siblings time was spent taking care of the many obligations on the farm. She was mischievous, a pistol and would often show her emotions. She and her younger brother, Joel would often cause many pranks with each other but she would always look out for her baby brother. This quality served her well in the idea that she would have this same comfort later in life and she did with her son being by her side till the end. Shari carried these traits into her adult life and served as one of many reasons why family and friends found her pleasurable and delightful to be around. Shari was a person who genuinely understood and cared for others, making powerful connections with those she knew as her sweet spirit could easily be felt.

During her high school years, Shari was on the Swim Team and was invited to be on the Olympic Hopefuls Diving Team. She felt freedom when she was diving. She was shy and more of a book worm and was always taking in information. One year she read the whole dictionary. In 1960 she expressed an interest in how the lives of children in the Soviet Union differed from those in the US. The teacher expressed optimism and let Shari write the Committee of Youth Organizations of the USSR. She received a letter and book, titled “Let Us Live in Peace and Friendship” from the Committee. She graduated from Camden High School in 1961. Teachers and classmates knew Shari as an excellent listener. She placed a high value on learning and always understood that there was a new lesson to be grasped waiting for her just around the corner. She excelled in all her classes and loved learning new things.

On November 20, 1966 Shari married Michael Harvey Cochran at the Justice of the Peace of Carson City, Nevada. Compassionate and devoted, Shari worked hard to make her new family happy. She was always generous with her time and this meant that Michael came first in Shari’s book. She was always caring and made certain that she considered his feelings. By trusting her emotions, Shari did her best to make sure that both the marriage and home life ran smoothly. Later in the marriage there came to be problems in the marriage that Shari did her best to keep hidden from her children and family and tried to work them out. Because of this her children did grow up in a loving home. This is just one more example of how self-sacrificing and loving Shari truly was.

Shari began her college career when she was 43 and newly divorced. She overcame the self-doubt that accompanied beginning college in midlife and excelled. As a result of her never give up attitude and inner strength and impeccable organizational skills, she earned her Associates Degree in Business from Southern Utah University and maintained a 4.0 grade point average. Shari also attended and graduated from Real Estate School and passed the Real Estate Board Test in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her favorite courses were LDS Institute and History. The skill of being a good communicator helped Shari immensely during her college days and throughout her professional career. She tended to thrive on the subjects that forced her to think. No matter what class it was, Shari was always very perceptive and embraced the mental challenges that her college experience provided.

Always considered a “good” friend, Shari sought to understand the things that others enjoyed. For this reason Shari always seemed to possess a never-ending collection of acquaintances. Shari’s friends found her easy to know and get along with because of her talent for being socially at ease, adept at conversation, and always amiable in her dealings with others. Shari would always seek to learn what her friends enjoyed, and she would go out of her way to make sure that their needs were met. Shari was always seen as the type of person who was the more gracious giver. In fact, she sometimes felt ill at ease when she was the one on the receiving end. Throughout her life she had many friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were her brothers and sister. Later in life, she became dear friends with Linn Mills, Julie Kilgore, Gail Walker Jackson, Belinda McCook and was looking forward to nurturing her newfound friendships in the Silver Stone Relief Society.

Shari’s quality of being a caring and tolerant person who was very accepting of others translated to being a good mother to her children. Shari shared these values with her daughter, Tami and her son, Matthew. Shari was also blessed with six grandchildren, Natassia, Justin, Joshua, Jessica, Maranda and Zachary. Shari related well to children of all ages and was especially fond of toddlers. She was able to connect to them on their level and put a smile on their face. Children always loved her and she was completely and totally devoted to them.

Shari experienced success in her work life over and over again. Though she started her career later in life she quickly excelled in her administrative career. She was employed for 15 years by the Las Vegas Valley Water District, where she quickly became the person you could go to for answers, even people in other departments would seek her out for answers. Shari always made the effort to understand what was needed at work, and was well known by her colleagues as a team player. Shari took pride in managing her professional responsibilities and seemed to always know what was necessary to successfully complete a project. Shari was one to take the initiative and her skills at working cooperatively were highly valued. Shari continually sought to learn what her co-workers did well and how they were most effective, a talent that enabled her to help them develop their own potential.

Because of her creativity and passion for arts and crafts, Shari loved and pursued many hobbies that allowed her to express her creative nature. Those hobbies included sewing, knitting, crocheting, painting, baking, beading, calligraphy, genealogy, gardening, landscaping, and playing her piano. Shari enjoyed sharing her passions with others and was always willing to get friends and family started on a project of their own. Because of her many interests she always had multiple projects going at the same time. She would always be thinking of the next project she was going to do while finishing the one at hand.

Shari enjoyed watching some sports but really was more of the type that wanted to get out with her family and do these things. Because she was so instinctive and could always grasp the big picture, Shari delighted in the strategy and inner workings of a competition. In her college years, Shari continued to stay active by skiing and hiking. Recreational sports included horseback riding, hiking, ATV's, repelling, scuba diving and the great outdoors. Some of these interests were baseball, figure skating and tennis.

Shari was well known to others for her ability to naturally and conscientiously move into action to help others, a quality that placed her as an active contributor to many community activities. Although she didn’t see herself in this light, all of us saw her charismatic nature. She was always viewed by others as someone who built bridges, connected to people, and upheld her personal values. Politically, Shari was a member of the recent Tea Party movement and a true patriot to her country.

Shari’s faith was important to her. She had a long journey seeking the truth and was baptized as member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on April 29, 1984 in Pulaski, New York, where the church was restored. She touched many hearts on her journey, and they in turn came to love her. She loved serving her Heavenly Father in her calling of creating the weekly Silver Stone Ward Bulletin. While attending this Ward she was involved with genealogical indexing. She was compassionate and warm hearted, someone who truly cared for others and that was clearly demonstrated in her work with the congregation.

Shari enjoyed traveling, and because of her desire to see and learn about new places, and was always up for an adventure. Her gift for keeping things lively meant that vacations with Shari were always fun, exciting and memorable. She would do research on the areas and find all the historical facts so she could visit them and tell her family the significance of these places. It wasn’t just a vacation it was a wealth of learning about our Fathers great creation. Some of her favorite places to visit were hiking Zion National Park, visiting family and church history sites, and amusement parks. One memory she was very fond of was her cruise to the Mexican Pacific with her sister Diana. She always wanted to take a Book of Mormon Tour in Central America.

Shari was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Shari's favorite pet was all of them, where does one begin? She had not one but many cats, which brought her great joy and companionship. They would listen to her discuss how she would overcome her next challenge and were always eager to listen. Some of these pets to mention would be Sam McGee, and his sister Sarah, which she got from her sister Diana. Ivan, Karloff who lived with her in Vancouver, Washington. Jacque and Gus, Gus being her swim partner. At present she cared for Maximus, Quintas, and had recently taken in Samwise, rescued from under a work trailer as a tiny kitten. Some have passed away but Maximus, Quintas and Samwise are waiting not so patiently for their mom to come home. Her family was rounded out by her attack Chihuahua, Barclay.

Shari passed away on February 21, 2011 at the Apex Dunes in Las Vegas, Nevada. She passed away doing something she dearly loved, riding her ATV and was comforted in her last moments by her loving son Matthew. She is survived by her children Tami and Matthew, her grandchildren Natassia, Justin, Joshua, Jessica, Maranda and Zachary and her brothers Jim and Joel and her sister Diana. Services were held at the Silver Stone Ward Chapel. Shari was laid to rest at Palm Mortuary’s North Jones location in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Throughout her life, Shari was a gregarious and enthusiastic woman. She was generous in sharing her personal attributes, giving and helping those she knew and loved. She would often fill the role of coach, bringing out the best in everyone. She was imaginative, original, tender hearted and easy to get along with. Shari leaves behind her a legacy of loving friendships and cherished memories. Everyone whose lives she touched will dearly remember Sharon Marie Cochran. We will miss her dearly.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Northwest Mortuary, Las Vegas, NV.