Les Cochenour has a long and illustrious record of community — particularly military — support, of which his stint as The Dalles mayor in the 1990s is just one highlight.
He and wife, Jody, are moving to Bend and a going-away party for them is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Portage Grill in Shilo Inn.
The party is open to the public and is arranged and paid for by The Dalles Vets and Soldiers Support fund, a local non-profit organization.
Last December, capping off a long list of achievements, Cochenour received the prestigious bronze medallion of the Order of St. George from the U.S. Cavalry and Armor Association. It recognizes “long and honorable service” to cavalry and armor and recognizes “the very best cavalrymen.”
The award was a surprise and a deep honor for Cochenour, a native of The Dalles who joined the local National Guard unit as a private after graduating from The Dalles High School in 1960.
Jody, also an active volunteer for military organizations, was awarded the Order of St. Joan D’Arc, which is awarded to a spouse and recognizes “significant voluntary contributions to the morale, spirit and welfare of the armor and cavalry communities.”
When Jody won her prestigious St. Joan D’Arc award in December, she said, “I just kind of follow along behind him and whatever he does, I just help. That’s my job.”
Les was born in The Dalles and grew up on a farm in Dallesport. He attended school in Lyle, then at age 11 moved to The Dalles.
After a few years in the National Guard, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and took several other combat training programs over the years.
He retired from the National Guard and Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel after serving 42 years.
In his civilian role, he worked in The Dalles at Halton Tractor Co. as store manager and retired in 2000. He’d served as mayor for two terms, from 1990-94, and was president of the Oregon Mayor’s Association in 1994.
During his years as mayor, he was instrumental in the early planning of the Fort Dalles Readiness Center.
A member of First Christian Church since 1954, he has served as usher, trustee and a budget committee member.
He’s been a president of the Rotary Club and was a board member of the Oregon Veterans’ Home from 2008 to 2013.
He’s an original member of the Mid-Columbia Veteran’s Memorial Committee and has made it his mission to support veterans and advocate for their rights and privileges.
Jody, the ninth of 11 children, moved to The Dalles at age 2. She graduated The Dalles High School in 1961 and married Les a few months later. She worked as a telephone operator, and they had two sons.
“In 1973,” she wrote in a short bio, “Les, the children and I went to Fort Knox, Kentucky where Les attended an Armor Advance course. I enjoyed the “military life” as an officer’s wife but our children did not.”
Back in The Dalles, she worked for the state, retiring from the Building Codes Division.
She started a chapter of the Red Hat Society called Red Crested Purple Breasted Cronies. Each month they choose a charity to donate to.
She’s a board member of the Mid-Columbia Veteran’s Memorial Committee, longtime board member of The Dalles Mural Society, and lifetime member of the local VFW Auxiliary.
She also finds time to crochet, read and scrapbook. They have five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
She’s looking forward to spending time with their grandchildren in Bend.
Russell Jones, senior veterans service officer for Wasco County, said via email, “Les, along with a few others like Steve Lawrence and Kathleen Martin, have been a driving force in improving veterans services in Wasco County.
“Their efforts resulted in the VA clinic being opened here in The Dalles, and then later naming it after Loren R. Kaufman, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for service in Korea.
“They also helped get the Veterans Service Office moved from the Wasco County Planning Office to our current location downtown.”
The veteran’s memorial committee was formed to build a memorial to Kaufman and to recognize all veterans.
The committee also worked with the American Legion Post to establish a military museum in The Dalles.
Les has also been a long time member of the Mid-Columbia Veterans Memorial Committee, which, among other things, maintains the veterans monuments at Kelly Viewpoint.
He was also a member, until a few years ago, of the board of directors of Veterans Care Centers of Oregon, the non-profit corporation that runs the Oregon Veterans Homes for the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA).
Jones said, “Les is always friendly and approachable and willing to help out, organize and lead in any effort to help veterans and National Guardsmen in need.
“I really appreciate all the Les has done for veterans and the community, he has made a huge difference in the lives of many and his presence and drive will be missed.”
Carol Roderick said she’s known the Cochenours for most of her life, and she has worked with them in supporting military organizations.
“He’s generous to a fault,” Roderick said, “and if he commits to a project he will see it through. It’s going to be a huge loss to this community not having him here because he does everything.”
Since 1997, Cochenour has served as Oregon Military Outreach director of the Oregon Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).
In that capacity, he organized a yearly “Boss Lift” of employers to a National Guard training center in Idaho. That field trip provided employers with a first-hand look at military training.
He was awarded the Department of Defense ESGR Lifetime Achievement Award.
Roderick said, “There are so many of those National Guard guys that he’s found jobs for.”
She added: “They’re just special people and they have a lot of heart and care a lot about what happens in this community.”
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