Orva Cochran, age 91, of Shelby, formerly of Cut Bank, died Wednesday, March 30, 2005 at the Marias Care Center in Shelby, Montana.  A celebration of her life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 9, 2005 the Whitted Funeral Chapel in Shelby.

She is survived by her daughter, Fern and husband Robley Schnee of Temecula, CA; a sister, Ila Larson of Spokane; grandchildren, Roxanne (Roxie) Howard of Escondido, CA, Robyn Peters of Orange, CA., Kelli Schnee of Murrieta, CA, Bill Schnee of Temecula, CA, Mack Cochran of Three Forks, MT and Jan Cochran Roland of Tempe, AZ; a daughter in law, Toni Wehr of Whitlash; sister-in-law, Helen Marie Waggoner of Whitefish; a brother in law, Jack and Geri Cochran of Polson; six great-grandchildren, Joey, Brandon, Blake, Jessica, Christina and Stephen, and many, many nieces, nephews and extended family.

Orva was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde, son, Jim and siblings Midge Gertzen, Marie Dahlen, Paul Waggoner, Art Waggoner, A.P. (Abby) Waggoner and George Waggoner.

Orva was born January 5, 1914 in Yawkey, West Virginia, the daughter of Al and Gertrude “Gertie” (Reese) Waggoner. She moved out west with her family and attended grade school in Sunburst and high school in Oilmont.

She married Clyde Cochran in 1929 and had two children, Fern and Jim. They made their home in Cut Bank where Orva worked at the Cut Bank Mercantile until retiring in 1979. Orva was devoted to her family, she loved to entertain her family, garden, sew and paint many landscapes of the surrounding mountains and prairie. You couldn’t stop by for a visit without eating, she loved cook and to feed everyone. The creative side of Orva always stood out in her costumes during the Cut Bank Crazy Daze where her outfits were always fun and unusual.

Memorials are suggested to a charity of the donor’s choice.

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