ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — The Howard County Government announced that former County Executive Dr. Edward L. Cochran died on Sunday evening.

"A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and cherished patriarch, he leaves behind a legacy of kindness, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to his faith, his community, and to those he loved," a spokesperson for the County Government wrote in a statement.

He first ran for County Council in 1968 and was elected Howard County's second County Executive in 1974.

In addition to his political career, he was also an accomplished chemist, earning a master's degree from Duquesne University and a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. He worked at the Applied Physics Laboratory, including doing work on free-radical chemistry.

He is survived by six children, incl

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