Francese Grace Cochran, 90, a long-time Walden resident died Friday evening July 21, 2012 at the Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury. She was born April 8, 1922 in Craftsbury, the daughter of the late Albert and Elsie (Sheltra) Lanphear. She attended Lowell and Walden public schools. In 2008 she was the recipient of an Honorary High School Diploma from St. Johnsbury Academy. Francese started working at the age of 13, housekeeping, babysitting and waitressing. In 1938 she met her future husband, Wilfred Robert Cochran, while working for his parents, Orlin and Ella Cochran. They married on Oct. 12, 1939 in Cabot, and made their home in Walden where they raised five children. Francese continued to work, she helped with the farming, cooked hot lunch for the Walden Heights School, worked for Walden area grocery stores, sewed for Hardwick Wear Knitters, cooked and cleaned for the summer residents on Caspian Lake, and wrote local news for the Hardwick Gazette and Caledonian-Record. She was a member of the Walden United Methodist Church, a charter and life member of the Walden Home Demonstration Group, a 25-year member of the Morrisville V.F.W. Auxiliary as well as a past member of the Cabot Creamery Co-Op. Francese was very devoted to her family and loved her community. She enjoyed watching the birds, cooking, flowers, music, taking pictures, dancing and trips to Westfield for weekly jam sessions. As an act of kindness she went to many of the area nursing homes to visit patients and get them up out of their chairs to dance and sent hundreds of cards each year to family, friends and anyone who needed good wishes. Survivors include: a daughter, Diane Cochran of Walden; four sons: Ronald Cochran of Walden, Donald Cochran of South Walden, Dennis Cochran of Danville and Reginald Cochran of Walden: two brothers: Alfred Lanphear of Hardwick and Dale Lanphear of Durham, N.C.; six sisters: Ruth Lamell, Gloria Godfrey, Dorothy Spaulding and Marion Houghton, all of Morrisville, Sybil Ainsworth of Hardwick and Jeanette Neis of Feeding Hills, Mass.; 14 grandchildren, six step grandchildren; nine great grandchildren, 11 step great grandchildren; 19 great great grandchildren; Several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband, Wilfred, on Feb. 19, 1993; three siblings: Wayne Lanphear, Richard Lanphear and Verlie Tillotson; a grandson, Terry Cochran on Jan. 14, 1993 and a step grandson, Kelsey Nore. Visiting hours will be held Thursday evening 6-8 p.m. at the Northern Vermont Funeral Home, 60 Elm Street, Hardwick.