Janice Cockreham

Our beloved mother, grandmother and sister, Janice Lee Tallant Cockreham, passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 2, 2020 after a lengthy and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease.  She was born October 10, 1942 in Walters OK to parents George Albert Tallant, MD and Billie Ruth Rodman Tallant, RN and grew up in Frederick, OK and graduated from Frederick High School.  She graduated with a BS degree in Home Economics from the University of Oklahoma and remained a proud Sooner supporter to the end.  She was married in Frederick on June 12, 1964 to Lee Gilbert Cockreham.  They lived in Andrews, TX, Altus, OK and Ruston, LA before settling in Plano, TX where she was owner/operator/designer of Interiors, Etc. for over 30 years advising and decorating many homes in the area.  She was well known for the beautiful silk flower arrangements she made for and gave to clients after finishing a job.  Janice was a dedicated mother who raised three boys in Plano, often staying up to the wee hours of the night to cook, bake, sew and do whatever was needed for the family, while also keeping up with a thriving business.  She played piano and pipe organ at Hunter Glen Baptist Church in Plano for over 30 years.  She was a dear friend to many in the Plano area and maintained lasting friendships with everyone she met throughout the years.  She was described by one friend as being the “most talented women I’ve ever known with a heart of gold, a giving spirit and true love of the Lord”.  She was truly cherished by all who knew her and will be greatly missed.

Janice is survived by her three sons Clark, Carter and wife Katherine and grandson Cassius, and Corey and wife Tu Anh, sister Georgia Myer-Hayes and brother Bert Tallant and wife Marie.  Her older brother Ellis Jay Tallant passed away earlier this year. 

In addition to being a loving mother, grandmother, sister, friend, accomplished musician and successful business women, Janice traveled extensively over the years to many countries on every continent except Antarctica.   She often traveled with friends, but also made numerous trips on her own.  She was known to exhaust tour guides with her questions and commentary about scheduled tour sites and then regularly venture out on her own after the day’s activities to take in sites that were not on the agenda.  She wanted to see and experience everything while she was there just as she did with all aspects of her daily life.

No services are scheduled at this time.  In lieu of flowers and cards, donations in her name can be made to the UTSW Medical Center Neurology Department in Dallas, TX.