Jane Ellen Cochran
COLUMBIA — Jane Ellen Cochran Ph.D., 49, of Columbia died at her home on January 5, 2009. Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2009 starting at 2 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. following the visitation.
Jane was born May 18, 1959, in Bonne Terre, Missouri, the daughter of Cecil and Jean Hulsey of Farmington, Missouri. Jane graduated from Farmington High School in 1977, where she was active in numerous extracurricular activities, including the track team, where she still holds the school record for the 880 yard run. Jane married Steve Cochran on June 7, 1980 in Farmington, Missouri.
Jane graduated from Avila College in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1981 with a Bachelor’s Degree of Nursing. She received her Master’s Degree of Nursing in 1987 from the University of Missouri and her Doctor of Philosophy Degree, Nursing in 2007 from the University of Missouri.
Jane’s career included a number of years working as an intensive care nurse and then as a Nurse Instructor at Central Methodist University and MU. She became an advanced practice nurse at the University of Missouri Healthcare and specialized in diabetes care and education, becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator. Jane is the only 2-time winner of the Kama K. Kruckenberg Award for Excellence in Patient Education by an Advanced Practice Nurse. Jane was also selected University HealthCare staff member of the month in June 1998.
Even while attaining her career and educational goals, Jane remained a dedicated and loving wife, mother, daughter and sister.
In November 2003, Jane was diagnosed (as a non-smoker) with Stage III-B non-small cell lung cancer. Jane received five different series of chemotherapy for her lung cancer and received radiation therapy to treat a metastases to the brain. Her courage, perseverance, and faith during her illness were an inspiration to all who knew her. In celebration of those qualities, Jane was honored with the University Hospital’s Hope and Spirit Award in March 2006.
Jane is survived by her parents, Cecil and Jean Hulsey; husband Steve; sons Matthew and David; sister Sarah Smith and her husband Ben Smith; sister Ann Staats and her husband Bill Staats; one niece and one nephew, one great grand-nephew and aunts, uncles and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes to honor Jane by establishing a nursing scholarship in her honor to enable future generations to follow her footsteps in a career in nursing. Memorial gifts can be sent to her alma mater, the MU Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri at the address below. Please make checks payable to the MU Sinclair School of Nursing and include a return address so that the family may express their thanks.
MU Sinclair School of Nursing Memorial Gifts for Jane Cochran 8219 School of Nursing University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211
Tributes can be left online at www.memorialfuneralhomeandcemetety.com
