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Mergie Helen (Payne) Doll Cochran went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 14, 2026, at the age of 88 after a brief stay at Greenbrier Village.
Mergie was born on February 1, 1938, in Enid, Oklahoma, to Charles and May (O'Brate) Payne. She grew up in a family of nine children whose lives were shaped by the loss of their mother when Mergie was only seven years old. Having experienced the profound need for a mother's care through her own loss, this event created a focus on children that would define the rest of her life. Mergie graduated from Carrier High School in 1955 before continuing her education at the Apostolic Faith Bible College in Baxter Springs, Kansas.
On January 27, 1962, Mergie married Cecil Doll of Ringwood. Together, they shared 43 years of marriage and raised three daughters. Cecil passed away on April 20, 2005.
Mergie later found companionship with Douglas Cochran, whom she married in May of 2011. They enjoyed their years together in Daisy, Arkansas, until his passing in December 2025. Mergie's life was defined by her devotion to her family, her faith, and her community. Her career of service began in her own home, where she spent many years watching local children before opening the Dollhouse Daycare Center in Ringwood in 1975. For the next 12 years, she became a foundational part of the community, acting as a "second mom" to many children.
This passion for youth extended into her faith; she was deeply involved in children's ministry across many area churches, including years of Vacation Bible School in Ringwood. It was through this work that she discovered a unique talent for puppetry. Her skill and creativity in making and using puppets to reach children was so well-regarded that she was invited to the Apostolic Faith Bible College to conduct puppet-making seminars for several years.
When she eventually closed the Dollhouse Daycare Center, Mergie transitioned her talents to the kitchen, working in area restaurants including the Harvest House Cafe' and the Cleo Curve. She became locally famous for her cre'me pies, drawing repeat customers who would drive for miles for a whole pie. Within her own family, she was celebrated for making the best cinnamon rolls and for passing down the cherished holiday tradition of making Aunt Bill's Brown Candy. Beyond her family traditions, she also decorated amazing birthday cakes for anyone who asked. A woman of immense strength and kindness, Mergie took her greatest pride in the family she built and the lives she touched. Whether through the children she raised at her daycare or the legacy of faith and family she leaves behind, her influence will be felt for generations.
Mergie is survived by her daughters, Kayla Freeman and husband Wayne of Canyon, Texas; Kindra Rokhsaz and husband Alex of Magnolia, Texas; and Kelli Henneke and husband Scott of Enid. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Jordan Freeman and wife Channing of Odessa, Texas; Kyle Lehenbauer and wife Mysti of Enid; Kasen Lehenbauer of Enid; Sarah Lanfermeijer and husband Nick of Auburn Hills, Michigan; Hannah Rokhsaz of Austin, Texas; and Nick Rokhsaz and wife Dr. Taylor Fuquay of Houston, Texas. Her legacy continues through her five great grandchildren: Konner, Kollin, and Klayton Lehenbauer, and Elsie and Walker Freeman; and many nieces and nephews.
Mergie was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and May Payne; her husbands, Cecil Doll and Douglas Cochran; her sisters, Lucy Webster and Karen Theilen; and her brothers, Lawrence, Charles, Bennie, Barton, Glen, and George Payne. Memorials may be made through Anderson-Burris to Faith Center Fellowship, Meno or the Apostolic Faith Bible College, Baxter Springs, Kansas.
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