Lillian Elizabeth Cocklin

Lillian “Betty” Elizabeth Cocklin, age 89, died Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, at Fairhaven Community in Upper Sandusky, OH.  Before retirement, she worked as an accountant at NaChurs Plant Food Company, Marion, for 19 years and lived in Cardington.

Betty was born Dec. 16, 1928, in Baltimore, Md., to Elmer Anthony and Lillian Alberta (Davis) Weber, who nurtured her love of gardening and reading. She enjoyed traditional Maryland crab feasts, dances, visits to the Chesapeake Bay, ocean, and mountains with her family. Wherever she lived, Betty created beautiful gardens.

When she married William A. Cocklin in 1967, in Manassas, Va., they moved to Ohio, where Betty found another love, euchre. She shared her euchre skills with her grandchildren, along with the pleasures of hot tea, egg nog, picture puzzles, crossword puzzles, Scrabble, flower-planting and walks in the woods.

Betty served on the Cardington-Lincoln Library Board and was instrumental in creating the “Teen Scene,” a room for teens only. She served as president of the Garden Club and Reveille (women’s study club), volunteered with the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary, Morrow County Hospital’s Scarlet TWIG, and Cardington-Lincoln Elementary, and attended St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. At Fairhaven, she participated in the Oma art project and befriended many staff who appreciated her “feisty humor.”

Surviving are her dearly loved son, William “Bill” E. Brown Jr., Riverside, CA.; daughter, Darlene M. Slack, Cardington, OH.; sons-in-law Gale “Virg”  Slack, Cardington, and Jerry Wilson, Knoxville, Tenn.; sister, Margaret Everett, Baltimore, Md.;  grandchildren, Jeff (Tammy) Burch, Marion, OH., Nathan (Lisa) Burch, Cleveland, OH., Cory Slack, Columbus, OH; Candice Bachelder, KY.; Nicholas Brown, San Diego, CA.; Gabrielle Slaughter, CA., Jeremy Brown, Riverside, CA.; 9 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, long-time friends Judy Shumaker, Marion, Marge Breckner, Cardington, and “Fourth Street neighbors.”

Preceding her in death are her beloved daughter, Lillian “Honey” Burch; husband, “Bill” Cocklin; brother, Elmer “Jim” Weber; sister, Mary Willey.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, Gompf Funeral Home, 440 S. Center St., Cardington, led by family friends Gary and Pam Lamb-Hart. Calling hours precede service, 9:00-10:30 a.m.; burial, Glendale Cemetery.  

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cardington-Lincoln Library. Memories or condolences may be shared with the family at www.gompffh.com.