Joan P. Cockerham

Funeral Services for Joan Pilley Cockerham, 87, will be held at 11:00AM, Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe, Louisiana with Bro. Waymond Warren officiating. Interment will be at the Union Baptist Church Cemetery in Joyce, Louisiana.

Mrs. Cockerham passed away peacefully from this earth to be with our Lord on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023 at Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe, Louisiana. Joan Pilley Cockerham was born on December 30, 1935, in Sikes, Louisiana, and she was the fifth of seven children to William Leon Pilley & Myrtis Wilson Pilley. Mrs. Joan married her lifelong partner, Jack Ibzan Cockerham, on September 25, 1954, until Mr. Cockerham’s death on December 25, 1996, for a total of 42 years. Mrs. Joan was loved by many and adored her children, grandchildren, and especially her great-grandchildren.

She was a member of Fair Park Baptist Church in West Monroe, Louisiana, and loved the Lord with all her heart. Mrs. Joan was the longtime owner & operator of Toyland Daycare on Wallace Dean Road in West Monroe, Louisiana where she loved caring for children. In her later years, Mrs. Joan mastered video games - PACMAN, Tetris, and especially Dr. Mario. She loved playing Pokeno with her friends in the neighborhood and dominated the crossword puzzle in the newspaper every day. Mrs. Joan was known for her homemade biscuits that she would whisk up from scratch as her family always came running when Mammaw was making them. She was the only golf pro that we ever knew that had never swung a golf club in her life, as she loved to watch golf. Every morning, Mrs. Joan loved going to McDonald’s and ordering an egg McMuffin. She frequented McDonalds so often that the employees knew her by name.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Jack I. Cockerham; her mother, Myrtis Wilson Pilley, father, William Leon Pilley; brothers, Joe Pilley, Elbert Pilley, Cecil Pilley, and Bill Pilley; sisters, Virginia Pilley Skipper and Faye Pilley Moabs.

She is survived by her three children, Jacqueline Wilson (Husband, John), Debra Thornhill (Husband, Gary), A.L. Cockerham (Wife, Cheryl); grandchildren, Matthew Thornhill (Wife, Jessica), Andrew Cockerham (Wife, Krista), John Thomas Wilson (Wife, Daegan), Jeremy Thornhill (Wife, Brittney), Jack Ethan Wilson, Nicholas Cockerham, Jordan Wilson Livecchi (Husband, Drew), Joey Batby, Stephanie Johnson, Trevor Stennett, and Lainee Stennett; sister-in-law, Laverne Cockerham Jordan, 13 greatgrandchildren, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Pall bearers are Matthew Thornhill, Andrew Cockerham, John Thomas Wilson, Jeremy Thornhill, Jack Ethan Wilson, and Nicholas Cockerham.

Visitation for Mrs. Joan will be from 9:00AM to 11:00AM at Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe, prior to the funeral on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.