Florence Genevive Cochran Richards age 97 of Green Camp, Ohio, died on Tuesday March 18, 2013 at Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation-Community in Marion.
She was born in Kilbourne, Delaware County, Ohio, on October 22, 1915, the first child of seventeen from the late George and Mary (Wolfe) Cochran.
Florence graduated from Morral High School in 1935.
Florence was born and raised on a hog farm in Delaware County. She continued a great love of farming and agriculture the rest of her life. She was a 4H adviser for several years in Wyandot County. She belonged to the Farm Bureau for many years where she was elected Congressional Spokeswoman for Marion Congressional District.
With her position, she traveled to both the Columbus State Capital and to Washington D.C., our nation’s capital, where she met with congressmen and senators to get the mail delivered to rural areas that did not get the mail delivered to their homes. Florence also traveled to New York City where she sat on hearings at the United Nations.
At the age of 40, Florence began working for B.F. Goodrich where she worked until retirement age.
She has been an active member of the Green Camp Baptist Church for many years. She has been a member of American Baptists Association for over 70 years. She has served as teacher, trustee, and president of the American Baptist Women Mission Society.
She is survived by her husband, Robert Richards (married in 2002), of Green Camp; one son, Gale (Darlene) Bryant, of Nevada, Ohio; six grandchildren; Cherie (Lew) Hilgenberg of Edison, Valerie (Dave) Curran of Marion, Carol (Bret) Emptage of Prospect, Michele Gilmore of Nevada, Melody Bryant of Bloomfield Hills, MI., and Shannon Bryant of Hamilton; eight great-grandchildren; twelve great-great grandchildren; two brothers; Blaine (Ruth) Cochran of Marion, and George William (Evelyn) Cochran of Edison; five sisters; Betty (John) Berridge, Mary June (Grover) Miller, both of Marion, Linda Lou Shingler of South Carolina, Darlene (Don) Blashinsky of Arizona, and Beulah (David) Deeds of Texas.
Including her parents, Florence was preceded in death by one son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Carolyn Bryant; two husbands; Cyril Bryant (married in 1936) and Gary Harruff (married in 1963); one great-grandson, Stephen R. Ulery; five brothers; Wayne, Everett, Lee, Wesley, and Lloyd Cochran, and four sisters; Mabel Claunch, Catherine Daines, Mildred Jaynes, and Eleanor Rowlinson.
Funeral Services for Florence will be Friday March 22, 2013 at 10:00 A.M. at the Green Camp Baptist Church. Officiating the service will be Rev. David Lippert. Burial will follow in the Agosta Cemetery in New Bloomington, Ohio. Friends may call at the Boyd-Born Funeral Home on Thursday March 21, 2013 from 4 to 8 P.M., and also on Friday at the church one hour prior to the service from 9 to 10 A.M.
Florence was especially proud of being the oldest of seventeen children. Family and faith were most important in her life. She now goes home to be with the Lord.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Green Camp Baptist Church, 230 Main St., Green Camp, Ohio 43322 or Acclaim Hospice, 2800 Corporate Exchange Dr., Suite 140, Columbus, Ohio, 43231. On line condolences to the family can be made at www.boydbornfuneralhome.com.
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