David Turner Cochran Jr.

David Turner Cochran, Jr., of Greenville, passed away at his home on May 19, 2025, surrounded by family. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 22, at 11 a.m., at St. James' Episcopal Church in Greenville. A visitation will precede the service, beginning at 10 a.m.
A lifelong resident of Washington County, David was deeply committed to his family, community, and faith. He was born at King's Daughters Hospital on Dec. 29, 1964, to Buddy and Carolyn Cochran of Avon, Miss. While attending Washington School and participating in 4-H, David met his high school sweetheart, Ginny Owens, whom he would later marry and with whom he would raise two daughters.
After graduating from Mississippi State University, he had a nearly 40-year career as a cotton and soybean producer. An inventor at heart, David also owned a small welding business and designed several types of equipment for hunting and farming. He also built his own grill and smoker, from which he served up countless delicious steaks, smoked chicken and pots of crawfish over the years.
David regularly devoted his time and talents to community and economic development in the Mississippi Delta, including serving as a member of the Delta Council; as board chair of the Memphis Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; and as the Washington County Commissioner for the Mississippi Levee Board.
David's love of farming and supporting the industry extended far beyond his own fields. Throughout his career, he was a delegate to the National Cotton Council, through which he participated in its Producer Information Exchange and Emerging Leaders Programs; a board member of the Planters Cotton Oil Mill, Inc. cooperative in Pine Bluff, Ark.; president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association; and chairman of the Farm Service Agency Committee for Washington County.
David enjoyed hunting, especially with old friends, and looked forward to instilling a love of wildlife and the outdoors in his grandchildren. An active member of St. James' Episcopal Church, he was on the vestry and could often be found contributing to maintenance projects or cooking for his fellow parishioners at church events. He will be remembered by his family and the many people he met throughout his lifetime for his warmth, his desire to make everyone around him feel at ease, and his generous spirit.
David is missed dearly by his mother, Carolyn Cochran, of Avon; his wife, Ginny, of Greenville; his daughters, Cathy (Adam Tarr) of Washington, DC, and Virginia (Myles Grubb), of Leland; and his grandchildren McCarty Grubb, Charlie Tarr, Porter Grubb and Cate Tarr. He is preceded in death by his father, David Turner "Buddy" Cochran, Sr.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to St. James' Episcopal Church or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
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