Viola Cockerill
Viola Cockerill, 76, of Tieton, Wash., a former Pendleton resident, died Monday, Sept. 11, 2000, at her home.
The funeral will be 3 p.m. Thursday at New Hope Church, 2007 Cornell in Union Gap, Wash. Interment will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Pleasant View Cemetery in Stanfield. Friends may call at Shaw and Sons Funeral Directors, 201 N. Second St., in Yakima, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Thursday.
Mrs. Cockerill was born Dec. 30, 1923, in Missouri, to Selly and Winnie Hogue.
On July 17, 1950, she married Rolland Cockerill at Pendleton. She and her husband have both been ordained ministers of the Pentecostal Church of God for over 40 years. In their younger years, they started in the youth division of the church and have since pastored churches in Walla Walla, Kent, Wash., Oroville, and several other cities. For four years, Mrs. Cockerill was Education Director for the entire Northwest District of the church, which encompasses Washington and Northern Idaho. At the time of her death, Mrs. Cockerill and her husband were pastors of the Tieton Pentecostal Church of God.
One of Mrs. Cockerill's greatest joys, besides her 9-year-old great- grandson James, was cooking for her family. She was an excellent cook and baker and for many years supplemented a meager pastor's pay and small church budget by selling homemade donuts and other goodies. She loved to serve fancy sit-down dinners to her family and friends and one time prepared 14 dishes to choose from.
In the opinion of those who knew her, she was a #holy woman.# She fiercely believed in Jesus and everything the Bible says, and practiced what she preached. Even when she was so weak just before her death, she said she was very happy and looking forward to seeing her savior.
Survivors include her husband of 50 years, Rolland, of Tieton; son Jim of Yakima; sister, Lena Poffenbarger of Stanfield; one grandchild and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, Selly and Winnie David Hogue, and four brothers, Leslie Hogue, Art Hogue, Ray Hogue, and Mel Hogue.
Shaw and Sons Funeral Directors, Yakima, is in charge of arrangements.
East Oregonian 9/13/00