A Pacific Palisades resident since 1951, Elia Cochenour passed away at home on October 15, having been diagnosed with cancer the previous week. Her daughters, Teri Walker and Julie McCormick, were at her side. She was 86. Ellie, as she was known, spent her early years growing up in Inglewood, along with her sister, Alma. Her father, Mike, was a barber and her mother, Delfina, was a homemaker. Ellie spoke only Italian until attending kindergarten. After she graduated from Inglewood High, her compassionate nature led her to a job as a doctor’s nurse, working first for two ob-gyns in Inglewood, a job she enjoyed for several years. The summer of 1946, Ellie joined her sister and several friends and rented a cabin at Lake Arrowhead. It was there on the beach that she met C.R. ‘Coke’ Cochenour, a handsome guy just out of the service. They were married in June 1947, and the summer vacation tradition continued for Ellie for 62 years. The lazy days of summer were spent on the dock, water-skiing (yes, she skied), driving the boat and sharing good times with family and friends. Ellie and Coke designed and built their first home in Pacific Palisades in 1951, where they raised their two daughters. The early years were enjoyed with a close-knit group of friends, sharing potlucks and bowling leagues. Socially, the Cochenours were actively involved with the Shriners. Life was never dull. Ellie found time to volunteer with her best friend Merle at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, working in the burn ward. Ellie was always up for Coke’s latest business adventure. Whether it was a cattle ranch operation or a start-up laundromat, The Wash House, in Blue Jay, she was supportive, and his biggest cheerleader until his death in 1967. Ellie loved to travel, and her bag was always packed. Proud of her Italian heritage, she enjoyed many trips to Italy visiting relatives with her sister Alma. She also regularly relaxed in the blue lagoons of Tahiti and the beaches of Hawaii. Other, more adventurous travels had her walking on the Great Wall of China, standing in Red Square, motoring down the Amazon in a rickety boat, driving a snowmobile in Lapland (with a reindeer license to prove it!), flying in a hot-air balloon over France, riding an elephant in the jungles of Nepal, and watching the sun set on the Serengeti with the lions. Palm Springs was Ellie’s home away from home for the month of March for the past 25 years. She and Alma loved the poolside chats, bridge, crossword puzzles and all the dear friendships they made. The sisters were affectionately known as ‘The Snoop Sisters’ and were special to all. When the residents of Pacific Palisades joined together to refurbish Swarthmore, the main commercial street in town, Ellie donated money for a street lamp requested the following inscription on its plaque: ‘It’s a wonderful life.’ This wasn’t a reference to the movie; rather it is what she lived. She was known and admired for her optimistic outlook and cheerful disposition. Ellie is survived by her daughters, Teri Walker (husband Larry) and Julie McCormick (Patrick), both of Pacific Palisades; her grandchildren, Ryan and Whitney McCormick; her sister, Alma Reed (Bill); her nephew, Doug Reed (Sue) and her niece, Holly Williams (Don). A funeral was held on October 21 in Santa Monica with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery. Donations in Ellie’s name can be made to Childrens Hospital, 4650 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027, or Shriners Hospital, 3160 Geneva St., Los Angeles, CA 90020.
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