Cocanower, Charles Laverne (1921-2007)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2007 Aug 27 p. 8

Birth date: 1921 Aug 21

text of obituary:

CHARLES COCANOWER

Charles Laverne Cocanower Jr., 85, died July 25, 2007, at Providence Everett Medical Center in Everett, Wash., after a heart attack that afternoon. He was born Aug. 18, 1921, to Charles L. and Esther (Springer) Cocanower Sr., in Elkhart, Ind.

He married Mable E. Overholt on Sept. 18, 1948, in Elkhart.

He grew up in Elkhart and graduated from Concord High School in 1939. He worked for Elkhart General Hospital for 32 years, retiring as vice president of finance in 1980. He was a member of the American Association of Hospital Accountants, Elkhart General Hospital Foundation, Mennonite Industry & Business Associates and the Indiana Chapter of the Hospital Financial Management Association, later renamed the Charles L. Cocanower HFMA Council of Northern Indiana in his honor. He and Mable did volunteer work for the church after retirement and enjoyed traveling in their RV and riding their tandem bicycle. Together they were active in the Mennonite church and Gideons International. In 1999 they moved to Washington state to be near their daughter.

He was a member of North Creek Presbyterian Church in Mill Creek and Sunnyside Mennonite Church, Elkhart, Ind. He will be remembered for his love of the Lord and dedication to the church and Gideons International.

Survivors include a daughter, Lynette Schmidt and her husband, Ian, of Snohomish; a daughter-in-law, Nancy Cocanower of Elkhart; a brother, Harold Cocanower of Summerfield, Fla.; a sister, Anna Cocanower of Goshen, Ind.; two granddaughters and two grandsons.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mable, on April 11, 2006; and son Lamar.

Memorial services were held at Sunnyside Mennonite Church of Elkhart, Ind. Burial was in Pleasantview Mennonite Church Cemetery in Goshen, Ind.