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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 11
BY SENATOR CROWE AND REPRESENTATI VE SIMON
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To express the condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the death of Viola Cocran
and to commend posthumously her volunteer efforts at Slidell Memorial Hospital,
which earned her designation in the Guinness Book of World Records.
WHEREAS, Viola Cocran died on September 29, 2013, leaving her family and
community to cope with the void remaining from the loss of a woman who had devoted her
life to raising her family but, also, to a lifetime of service to Slidell Memorial Hospital; and
WHEREAS, Cocran's daughter, Suzanne Mabie, reported that in the mid 1950s
Mabie's younger sister was quite ill and was taken to the hospital in New Orleans, causing
Cocran to understand, firsthand, the need for a full-service hospital on the north shore of
Lake Pontchartrain; and
WHEREAS, Cocran's commitment to making the hospital a reality, which began
before the hospital was built, included her efforts as a member of the steering committee that
met with the legislature to obtain permission to build the community hospital; and
WHEREAS, Cocran began her volunteer work at Slidell Memorial Hospital in 1959
and continued until her retirement in March 2012, amassing over seventy-seven thousand
volunteer hours; and
WHEREAS, Cocran's involvement in establishing a hospital on the north shore
moved from the planning stages to being present on opening day, assisting the first patient,
a woman in labor who delivered her child in the brand-new hospital; and
WHEREAS, current volunteer director for Slidell Memorial Hospital, Laurie Manley,
stated that the process to have Viola Cocran named in the Guinness book as having logged
the most volunteer hours at a single hospital was begun prior to Cocran's death in September
2013 and took two years to come to fruition; and SCR NO. 11 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, Manley reports that the process used by Guinness required extensive
documentation, including copies of time sheets, letters from people who served with Cocran,
a list of all volunteer positions she held, and photographs of her volunteering in various
departments of the hospital; and
WHEREAS, Manley also stated that Cocran served in every department of the
hospital in her fifty-three years of service, which included years when she was raising her
family and working a full-time job as well; and
WHEREAS, current Slidell Memorial Hospital Chief Operating Officer, Bruce
Clement, upon hearing of the Guinness designation, stated, "Viola gave Slidell Memorial
Hospital and this community an amazing gift. She not only gave her time, but her heart and
soul"; and
WHEREAS, the hospital will be celebrating Viola Cocran's designation in the
Guinness Book of World Records as the individual who logged the most volunteer hours at
a single hospital with a reception and an unveiling of the award; and
WHEREAS, the hospital is encouraging the community to attend and celebrate
Viola's exceptional gifts of her time and heart that she gave to her community.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
express their condolences upon the death of Viola Cocran and commend posthumously her
volunteer efforts at Slidell Memorial Hospital, which earned her designation in the Guinness
Book of World Records.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Bruce
Clement at Slidell Memorial Hospital for presentation to the family of long-time volunteer,
Viola Cocran.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES