Dana Cochran

Dana Cochran decidedly made September 20, 2022 his last day on Earth at the age of 92 in Ithaca, NY.

Dana was born May 7, 1930 in Ithaca, the son of Roy and Alta (Moffitt) Cochran along with eight siblings. Later in his life, Dana met and settled down with Helen Campbell, the love of his life, who we lost in 2018. Dana was an eccentric, artistic, social human being who was quick to crack a joke or tell a story, likely with some slight embellishments. Dana spent his life as a vagabond, seemingly never really working anywhere but also working everywhere at the same time. He served in the Army during the Korean War as an infantryman. You could find him in his latter years playing his accordion while he serenaded you with his singing voice, painting beautiful landscapes with his grandkids while always being sure to include his signature red cardinal in each painting, raising birds, reciting a poem that he wrote and had surely memorized, or picking up a game of chess. Years ago, while Dana was in the hospital, we learned that his living will was in poem-form and he recited it on the spot in perfect form. Maybe I’m embellishing some, but so would he.

He is survived by his seven other children (that we know of, he would say), Shirl Buongiorne, Dana (Debbie) Cochran, Rose (Paul) Cochran, Mary (Russell) Worley, Nan (Dino) Beligotti, John (Rhesa) Cochran, and Rob (Ann) Cochran along with various step-children, numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews. Family was not something Dana was short on. Dana is preceded in death by his parents, his love, Helen, his daughter, Betty Jane Walker, and was the last living sibling of nine.

Dana was especially close to his lifelong friend, Tony Taber, who was an inspiration for Dana’s artistry, his nephew, Mickey Cochran, who he spoke to daily, and hands-down his favorite grandson, Gregg (Kyla) Walker, who was also his best friend.

Burial with Military Honors will be held on Monday September 26, 2022 at 10:00am at Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 6632 NY-96A, Romulus, NY 14541.  In lieu of flowers, Dana would ask that friends and family consider being an organ donor.