Loren Cocking

Loren Cocking, 81, of Raleigh passed away at his home on December 19, 1937. He was born December 20, 1937 a son of the late Harold and Merle Cocking.

Loren and his sister Joyce were raised in Hampton Iowa, a place he loved to visit for high school reunions with life-long friends.

After completing his MA at The Ohio State University, he was employed for 38 years at Southern Illinois University as a faculty member in the Dept of Cinema and Photography, teaching courses in Film Production. He retired in 2002, and was feted at a delightfully memorable retirement party, honored by students, co- faculty members, family and friends.

Loren was a founding member of The Stage Company in Carbondale, IL.  He volunteered countless hours as a board member, always willing to take on any assignment, particularly enjoying designing stage sets, which he continued to do  by internet after moving from Carbondale in 2012.

One of his proudest lifetime achievements was composing music and lyrics for an adaptation of James Thurber’s “The 13 Clocks”, which was produced on stage in 2008 at SIU’s McLeod Auditorium, receiving enthusiastic acclaim!

A Unitarian Universalist, Loren was a member of congregations in Carbondale, IL, Hillsboro, OR and lastly in Raleigh, NC where he lent his beautiful voice to the choir, formed a drama group and donated hours of his design expertise to the future expansion of the church building.

Many will remember Loren fondly as an inveterate puzzle solver, be it Sudoku, crossword or jigsaw and as a demon backgammon player, online and in person.

 Loren is survived by his wife of 25 years, Lisa Colby of Raleigh; his children:  Marcie Taylor and her husband, Dave of Heyworth, IL and Julie Cocking and close friend, Ramon Van Dijk of Raleigh, and their mother, his first wife, Denice Josten of Raleigh;  his step-children: Alyssa McCain and her husband, Matt of Raleigh, Ted Popov and his wife, Holly of Carbondale, IL and Paul Popov and his wife Tara of Laguna Niguel, CA; his grandchildren: Leah Taylor and Matt Taylor, Heyworth, IL, Elena Wragge, Raleigh, Corinne McCain, Raleigh, Alec Popov and Ivan Popov, Carbondale, IL, Roman Popov and Skye Popov, Laguna Niguel, CA; his sister, Joyce Nielsen, his niece Beth DeWilde and her husband, Jim, of Holland, MI; and his sister-in-law, Judy Neher and her husband Bill Robinson of Arlington, VA.

He leaves behind many other relatives and friends near and far, including his cousin Dean and Linda Cocking of Harrisonburg VA,  his “best friend” from childhood, George Soper and his wife Sandy of Albuquerque NM; and cherished friends Kay Deffley of Savannah, GA; Craig and Jan Hinde, Perry and Susan Patterson of Carbondale, IL and their families.

A Memorial Service is planned for May 30th, at the Unitarian Universalist Peace Fellowship in Raleigh, to celebrate a loving father, husband and friend who was a joy have in our lives and will be missed beyond words.

Memorial donations may be made to Unitarian Universalist Peace Fellowship PO Box 97202, Raleigh, NC 27624 or The Stage Company, 418 S. Illinois, Carbondale, IL 62902.