Nadine "Dee" Cochran

Nadine “Dee” Blair Cochran, 96 of Steens, MS, passed away Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at her home, surrounded by her family.

Visitation will be Saturday, October 31, 2026 from 1:30 P.M. until 2:30 P.M. at Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS. The funeral service will follow at 2:30 P.M. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Piney Grove Cemetery in Steens. Lowndes Funeral Home entrusted with all arrangements.

Nadine Blair Cochran was born August 12, 1930, in Hatley, Mississippi, to Frank and Laura Blair. She graduated from Hamilton High School in 1950 and went on to earn her Nursing Degree from Doster School of Nursing in Columbus in 1953. That same year, on June 14, she married Dexter Cochran, and they shared 60 wonderful years of marriage.

The couple moved to San Francisco, California, so Dexter could complete his military career, and later settled in Vicksburg, where they welcomed their first child, Shirley. After returning to Dexter’s hometown, Nadine began her nursing career in 1954 with Dr. Pennington in Ackerman. When the family moved to Memphis, she worked as a Private Duty Nurse for several of the city’s prominent families, and Nina and Timothy joined the family there.

In 1960, Nadine became an Emergency Room Charge Nurse at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where she worked alongside Dr. Hardy on the first heart transplant surgery ever performed. In 1969, she served as Head Nurse of the Emergency Room when Lowndes General Hospital opened in Columbus. She was later promoted to Nursing Supervisor and became a Certified Cardiac Nurse. She retired from United Technologies in Columbus, where she served as the Industrial Nurse.

The family settled in Columbus and later made their home in Steens, where they enjoyed life on the farm and welcomed many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandson.

Nadine loved working in her yard and garden, where she found great joy tending her flowers and watching them grow. She always welcomed visitors to walk the grounds and dig up a few flowers to take home. She and Dexter traveled across the United States in their camper and shared a love of living history events. They were charter members of the National Civil War Medical Museum in Virginia. She also loved to bake, sew, and create flower arrangements, and she made sure to pass those skills on to her grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, Nadine is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years – Dexter Cochran; son – Timothy Dexter Cochran; brothers – Paul, JC, Edward, Frank, Clyde, David, Leroy, Walter, and Wayne; infant sister – Rebecca; and great grandchildren – Sawyer Steenstra and Bella Strait.

She is survived by her daughter – Shirley Strait of Brooksville; grandchildren – Sabrina Strait, David (Starla) Strait, Margaret Strait, Paul (Kathryn) Strait, and Michael (Charith) Strait; great grandchildren – Madison Strait, Ellie Strait, Kemper Strait, Ian Strait, and Micah Strait; daughter – Nina Steenstra of Steens; grandchildren – Tiffany (Wiley) Hutchins, Alan (Monica) Steenstra, and Justin (April) Steenstra; great grandchildren – Blair (Cooper) McCleskey, Eva Ward, Gavin Ward, Carter Hutchins, Ann Lynleigh Hutchins, Darby Steenstra, Molly Steenstra, Iris Steenstra, Jackson Steenstra, Abby Gonzales, and Isla Boykin; great-great grandson – Dexter McCleskey; brothers – Joe (Ruth) Blair and Loyd Blair, and a very special sister-in-law – Dale Haggard.

Pallbearers will be David Strait, Justin Steenstra, Cooper McCleskey, Ty Wilson, Alan Steenstra, and Michael Strait.

The family wants to give special thanks to Dr. Turner, Eric and the other staff of Centerwell Home Health, Amy and Renee and the other staff of Legacy Hospice, Chris’ Pharmacy, and Robert’s Apothecary.

Donations may be made to the North Mississippi Nurse Honor Guard, 60012 Country Lane Amory, MS 38821.