ONLY ON 3: Friends remember Carolina Beach fire victim

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — It’s been almost a week since the deadly fires in Carolina Beach and we are learning more about one of the victims.

Mary Cochran is being remembered as an active community member and a wonderful friend. Mary has lived on Pleasure Island for 5 years. She was a member of Carolina Beach Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir.

She lived on the second floor of the first apartment that burned down overnight Saturday. Friends tell us Mary was a warm and caring person. She was born in Chicago but moved to Canada as a baby and had just become an official US citizen two-weeks ago.

Friends say she died holding “Lady,” the dog that she loved, in the place she loved the most Carolina Beach.

“If I had to use one word to describe my friend I would say genuine,” said Linda Lorah a friend of Mary’s, “She was exactly who you saw, there was not artifice, no pretense with Mary. She was who she was and she was a delight.”
Friends say they played bridge with her weekly, they’ll do it again this week in memory of her.

In addition to the fundraisers planned at the beach, a candlelight vigil will be held for Mary, Friday December 19th starting at 6:30 at the lake at Carolina Beach.