Herman Val Cochran was born December 31st, 1932, in Oklahoma City to T.B. and Opal M. Hogue Cochran. He spent time growing up in Meeker, OK, Hagerman, New Mexico, Mt Carmel, Illinois, and Oklahoma City. Val often worked before and after school helping his father in a hardwood floor refinishing business. He played baseball for Bethany High School, and also football his senior year, on Bethany's first football team. Val first saw Mary Catherine Pearce riding what he called a "high dollar" bicycle, and decided that he better get to know this "rich" redhead. He graduated from Bethany High School in 1952, and married Mary Catherine on November 1st, 1952. He attended and played baseball for Central State College in Edmond. Val served his country in the U.S. Army, and was stationed in Germany, where he was fortunate enough to travel with and play baseball for his company. He worked for Ford Motor Company in Oklahoma City in sheet metal repair, and then as a speed equipment technician at Parr Automotive in Oklahoma City, where he was part of a drag racing pit crew for a national record holding roadster. Val later was an outside service supervisor for United Parcel Service in Oklahoma City. He also spent several years as a driller for several oilfield companies around the Ada, Oklahoma area. Val was always involved in some aspect of his favorite sport of baseball, whether he was playing, or coaching the young guys coming up to have the fun and passion he had for the game. He sometimes could be heard preaching baseball when he would ask, "how can it be that these guys in major league baseball don't know how to bunt the ball and move the runners!" He was preceded in death by his parents, his half-sister, Mary Sue, his half-brother, Abe, his wife, Mary Catherine, and great-granddaughter, Elzie Lynn Cochran. After the death of his wife, Mary Catherine, he moved from his home in Bethany to Okeene, OK, where he lived for more than 5 1/2 of his last years at the home of his son and daughter-in-law.Val struggled for over 20 years with incapacitating effects that COPD had on his lungs, and had to be on oxygen everywhere he went. His battle with pain and suffering finally ended on the morning of October 14th, 2017, when he went to rejoin his wife, Mary Catherine, in Heaven. Val is survived by his sister, Terry O' Neil; his half-sister, Teresa Bottoms; his daughter, Melinda Cochran Dalton of Oklahoma City; and son, Mick Cochran and wife Robin of Okeene, OK. He also leaves behind 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Memorial Service Friday, October 20, 2017 10:00 AM Mercer-Adams Chapel 3925 N. Asbury Bethany, OK 73008