Sammie Marie Cochran McRae was a loving wife mother grandmother and great-grandmother who will always be remembered for her face-lighting smile her deep faith and her wonderful cooking. Sammie died on Tuesday evening May 6 2008 after a long and fulfilling life passing on to the peaceful eternity her faith had invited. Sammie was born on August 12 1918 in Hawthorne Florida to Joseph Luther Cochran and Lelia Marie Shaw Cochran. Sammie grew up with her brother Joseph Luther Cochran Jr. in Jacksonville. She graduated from Landon High School in Jacksonville and married her dear husband Norman L. McRae on November 11 1942. They shared more than fifty years of happy marriage before Norman's death in 1993. Sammie was an active church member her whole life most recently at Bella Vista Baptist Church in Edgewater where she and her husband were charter members. In addition to her joy in Christ at Bella Vista Sammie loved serving as Treasurer as a part of the church's women's ministries and as Coordinator of Senior Adult Activities. Sammie was a painter by avocation and was an active member of the New Smyrna Beach Art League. She loved all kinds of handicrafts reading and playing word games and cards (especially with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren!). While Sammie was predeceased by her parents her brother her husband and one grandson she leaves generations of loving descendants who will cherish her memory: her children Sylvia (and Jack) Moore of Jacksonville Hazel Naugle of Orlando Sharon (and Geoff) Dey of Ormond Beach Norman (and June) McRae of Hoschton Ga.; as well as seven beloved grandchildren and nine wonderful great-grandchildren.
Sammie McRae's life will be celebrated at a memorial service at 2:00 Friday May 9 at Tomoka United Methodist Church in Ormond Beach. Friends are welcome to share memories of Sammie McRae with her family at a family visitation at Bella Vista Baptist Church in Edgewater from 11 o'clock to noon on Friday. Friends are also invited to a reception with the family at Tomoka United Methodist Church in Ormond Beach at 1:00 with the memorial service to follow. Donations in memory and honor of Sammie McRae's life may be sent to Bella Vista Baptist Church's Building Fund 3232 S. Ridgewood Avenue Edgewater Florida 32141 or to Odyssey Hospice whose caregivers were so kind to Sammie. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond.