James Cochran

James Cochran, 73, died Jan.19, 2015, in Butte.

Jim was born in Battle Ground, Indiana, in 1941. He graduated from Jefferson High, and was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating and motorcycle racing.

Jim was a mechanic at JR Ewing Honda in Lafayette, Indiana, which is where he met Mary Ann Scanlon. Together they loaded up their old station wagon and migrated to Alaska in 1978. They both found work at Alaska Cycle Center. Jim was known for his steadfast work ethic, having gone on to work at a number of shops before retiring in 2003.

Enjoying the wilderness adventures of Alaska, they settled in Butte, Alaska, where they purchased a house adjacent to the Butte Airman’s landing strip in 1984. It’s here that Jim nurtured his love of flying, purchasing a Cessna 172 they named “Free Bird,” which extended the scope of their adventures, including glacier landings and moose hunting.

It’s at their home in the Butte that wonderful memories were made with numerous friends and family members around the fire pit, floating the creek, plus fishing and boating on Jim Creek.

Though they’d been “together” for 39 years at the time of his death, Jim and Mary Ann secretly got “Mauied” during one of their annual sojourns to Hawaii in 1989.

Jim is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Cochran, and children James Dean (JD) and Debra Cochran, of Lafayette; grandchildren Michael Burns, his partner Meadow Hide, and Shane Burns, all of Palmer, Alaska; great grandchildren Cole, BreeAnn, Kenneth, Desiree, Shane Jr. and Tristan Burns of Palmer; in-laws Eileen Thompson, Thomas Scanlon, Vicki Scanlon, plus Dennis Scanlon of Montana; nieces and nephews include: Katie and Patrick Scanlon, and Emily Thompson, of Anchorage, plus Ben Thompson of Austin, Texas.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, as well as his youngest child, Rena, and siblings Bill, Bob and Dave Cochran, and Mary Lou Lyman, all from Lafayette.

A celebration of life is April 11 at Aklestad’s hangar at the Butte airport. Bring a dish and story to share. For more information, call 745-8840.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: MyHouse, a youth homeless shelter, 300 N. Willow Street, Wasilla, AK 99654.

Arrangements were by the Cremation Society of Alaska. A full obituary is online at alaskacremation.com.