Julia Lane (Wright) Cochrane
Julia Lane Wright Cochrane, passed away June 22, 2021, after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer. Her husband of fifty-six years, Jim Cochrane, was by her side. Lane was born in Atlanta, Georgia on August 16, 1941, the first child of Julia Lane Clark and James Goodrich Wright. Growing up in Georgia, Lane enjoyed her Ansley Park and Spring Street School friends. The family moved to Salem in 1954, where Lane spent her teens with new friends in Langhorne place. She graduated from Andrew Lewis High School in 1959, as class Salutatorian and entered Mary Baldwin College as an Honor Scholar. Upon graduation, Lane took a position as a mathematician for NASA at the Langley Research Center. It was at Langley that she met Jim Cochrane, a recent graduate of William and Mary. The two were married at Salem Presbyterian Church in June of 1965. Lane took a few years off from work when she and Jim started their family. In 1978, the family relocated to the Silicon Valley of Northern California, where Lane started a second career with Lockheed Martin, retiring in 2000.
Lane was a devoted wife, daughter, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, great aunt, and friend. Lane loved nurturing her seven grandchildren and took a great interest in their many activities. She never missed a birthday or special occasion. She enjoyed keeping up with her many friends from California, Florida, and locally. Always athletic, Lane enjoyed horses, boating, and Sierra skiing. She was a member of the Mounted Girl Scout troop which appeared on the Today TV show when it visited Roanoke. Lane also enjoyed the Novel Club of Salem and her swim aerobics group. She volunteered with the Salem Clothes Closet and Salem Presbyterian Church. Over the years she was active in the women’s circles of Salem Presbyterian, King’s Grant Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach, and Los Gatos Christian Church in California.
In addition to her husband, James A. Cochrane, Lane is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, James and Caroline Cochrane of Winston Salem, NC, her daughter and son-in-law, Julia and Robert Soderbery of Atherton, CA. Seven grandchildren survive: Sarah Lane Cochrane Payne and husband William, James Cochrane, William Soderbery, Julia Soderbery, Julia Cochrane, John Cochrane, and Brooke Soderbery. She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Emily and Brooke Mallory of Roanoke, her brother and sister-in-law, James G. and Nell Wright of Atlanta, and her sister-in-law Sue A. Cochrane Strelnick of Milwaukee. Her nephew and nieces and families survive, Julia Mallory (Rolf) Craven and Joseph and Sarah, Brooke (Lisa) Mallory III and Samuel, Goodrich (Aly) Wright III and Liam and Isaac, Rosanna Strelnick, and Daniel Strelnick.
The interment will be held privately with her family at East Hill Cemetery. A memorial service in celebration of the life and Christian witness of Lane will take place on Saturday, June 26 at 11:00 AM at Salem Presbyterian Church. The service will also be livestreamed on the church’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCYdTGFwaO9jyVxIRlTX6Fzg
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Salem Presbyterian Church (see www.spc.org) or Good Samaritan Hospice (see www.goodsam.care).
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.johnmoakey.com.
