Lorraine Ethel Berg Cockle, age 94, passed away on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband, Robert C. Cockle, and her five siblings, Gustav “Bud” Ruehmer, Hildegarde Ruehmer Deacon Ruleau, Esther Ruehmer Alger, Theresa Berg Wheeler, and Marge Berg Groenhoff Carlson.
The daughter of Bernard Berg and Nora Klockow Berg, she was born on March 30, 1921, in Milwaukee, WI. Lorraine was one of six children. The family moved to Illinois while she was a child, and she graduated from Proviso High School, having been involved in many school activities.
During the years of World War II, while working in Chicago as a Red Cross nurse and doing other Red Cross volunteer work, she met and married Robert Cockle, a naval pilot who was training at Great Lakes Naval Air Station. They were married in 1944. They were the parents of four children.
She is survived by daughters Diane Cockle Todd (Robert) of Champaign, IL, Patricia Cockle Piro (Scott) of Madison, AL, and sons Thomas Cockle of Bloomington, MN and James Cockle (Stacy née Grams) Great Falls, VA.
She was blessed with six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Her grandchildren: Laurie Todd Rodriguez (Benjamin) of Madrid, Spain, Michael Todd (Amy née Wait) of Champaign, IL, Matthew Piro (Jenny née Whitworth) of Jacksonville, FL, Erin Piro Wiley (Erik) of Madison, AL and twins, Robert Cockle and Kristina Cockle of Great Falls, VA. Great-grandchildren include Sofia and Nicholas Rodriguez, and Ryan, Cody, and Kendall Todd.
A loving wife, mother and grandmother to her family, Lorraine made homemaking an art. She loved to be in her kitchen and was an excellent baker and cook who enjoyed entertaining one and all. She was involved in many of her community women’s organizations, served on the Del Web Sun Health Hospital Board in Sun City West, AZ, was a past state president of South Dakota State Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood and current member of Huntsville AL Chapter M, a past Worthy Matron of Eastern Star, and a member of Beta Sigma Phi. In years past, she taught ballet and tap dance classes and also, had worked several years as a realtor.
Her many hobbies included crafts of all kinds, playing her piano, sewing, games, travel and being a serious sports fan. She and Bob traveled by air, land and sea to many diverse places in both Europe and the North American continent. Lorraine loved a good bridge game and enjoyed all games; loved attending major league baseball games, and was a serious fan of college football, basketball and any sport her family members participated in from bowling to gymnastics!
Lorraine is best thought of as a hostess – it was her greatest joy to have others to her home for food and fun. Her true love was her family, husband, children and grandchildren and their spouses. Her love of each of us will long be remembered and she will be dearly missed.
The Cockle family will be present to receive friends at a visitation at Laughlin Service Funeral Home, Huntsville, Alabama from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 26, 2016. A private family service will follow.
The family would like to give a special thanks to Redstone Village and Heartlite Hospice.
