Kenneth Paul Cockrum

Kenneth Paul Cockrum was born May 26, 1942 at his family home in Peerless, Texas to E.C. and Ruby Cockrum. He lived his entire life in the North Hopkins community in faithful devotion to the land he loved so well. He married Barbara Jo Gunter on March 31, 1967 in a marriage that spanned fifty-five years until Barbara’s untimely death on September 30, 2022.

Kenneth was a graduate of North Hopkins School in 1960 and went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture in 1965 from East Texas State University. He received the prestigious American Farmer degree from the Future Farmers of America in October of 1961, an honor he was very proud to hold. Throughout his working career, Kenneth served as a basketball coach, ag teacher, rancher and most recently as Maintenance and Transportation director at North Hopkins School until his retirement in 2022. At age 80, he finally decided it was time to walk away. His love of the North Hopkins Panthers was a life long commitment. Nothing gave him greater happiness than sitting at basketball games, volleyball games, and baseball games and watching kids compete. In 2024, the volleyball team gave him the distinction of naming the annual tournament in his honor.

An equal joy in his life was being a Paw Paw. He loved and supported his grandsons in every imaginable way.

Kenneth is survived by his daughter Stephanie and husband John; grandsons Cade (and wife Lauren) Carson, Brock and John Pat Kennedy (and wife Michelle); sisters Elvira Echols and Sharlene Brice; sister in law Debra Wood; and a host of nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, devoted wife Barbara, infant twin daughters, sisters Theo Thompson and Virgie James.

If desired, donations can be made to the Peerless Cemetery Association.