Susan Janiece (Edwards) Cockrell

Susan Janiece Cockrell was born on Thursday, March 19, 1959, in Las Vegas, New Mexico to Ralph and Grace Edwards. Susan was raised the fourth of five girls.

There was lots of family in Las Vegas and they spent their time in school activities, family vacations, and summer weekends at their cabin in the Gallinas Canyon in the Sangre de Cristo mountains.

Susan graduated from Robertson High School in 1977. She was a member of the high school track team and played clarinet in the marching band. She and Craig sang together in the high school choir. Following graduation, Susan went to work in insurance in Las Vegas, then in Portales and Denver as well, helping to put her husband through school.

She married Craig Cockrell on Saturday, August 12, 1978, and they raised four boys together, living in Portales, Denver, Springer, Fort Sumner, Ruidoso, Deming, Carlsbad, and Albuquerque, never more than about 5 hours driving time from her birthplace.

The family enjoyed traveling together and Susan and Craig began to take cruises in the last few years, sometimes with all, or part of the family. And the family also loved going to the movies together. In recent times, due to her health issues, most days were filled with jigsaw puzzles, watching reruns of "M.A.S.H." and "Little House on the Prairie", and she loved the NFL. Her last morning was spent watching playoff games with her youngest.

Everyone was looking forward to her returning health and the renewed travel & fun that might have come as a result.

Susan died unexpectedly while recovering from surgery on Monday, January 16, 2023.

Preceding her in death were her father, Ralph Wendell Edwards; and sisters, Jane Edwards and Vicky Jons. She is survived by her sons, Christopher Cockrell, Kevin Cockrell, and Keith Cockrell (Jenn Young), all of Albuquerque; and Cory Cockrell (Meagan Davis), of Las Vegas, NV; her mother, Grace Dean (Lingnau) Edwards of Greeley, CO., and her sisters: Judy Gardner of Greeley, CO; and Tammy Parsons and her husband, Don of Las Vegas, NM; Vicky's husband LeRoy as well as nieces and nephews and their children.

Memorial gifts can be made to the children's organization or ministry of your choice.

A Memorial Service will be held at St. John's United Methodist Church here in Albuquerque on Friday, February 3, 2023, at 11:00 am.