The Right Reverend Robert Hume Cochrane
July 9, 1924 - May 7, 2010
Obituary
The Right Reverend Robert Hume Cochrane, D.D.
9 July 1924 – 7 May 2010
The Rt. Rev. Robert H. Cochrane, sixth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, entered into Paradise on May 7th, 2010.
He was born on July 9th, 1924 in Charleston, SC, and grew up in Brooklyn, NY, where he graduated from Brooklyn College. He received a Masters of Divinity from New York’s General Theological Seminary in 1951 and a Doctorate of Divinity in 1976. Before serving as Bishop from 1976 to 1990, he served as a parish priest to congregations in Tacoma, Salt Lake City, Henderson and Reno, Nevada, and Delano, California.
Bishop Cochrane was a World War II veteran, serving in the US Army from 1942 to 1946. He saw combat service as a medic with General Patton’s 3rd Army in France and Germany from 1944 to 1945. His ministry to soldiers in combat led him to seek service as a minister in the church.
Cochrane will be remembered for his contributions to lay ministry, the connections he established with other denominations, and his commitment to helping people in need regardless of their religious affiliation. While Bishop, he co-wrote the national Church Canon authorizing Lay Eucharistic Ministers to take Communion from the church to the sick and to shut-ins. He joined with Catholic Arch Bishop Robert Hunthausen of Seattle to establish a covenant in which the two churches prayed for each other and worked together for social justice. In addition, in the late 70’s when thousands upon thousands of refugees fled Southeast Asia, he helped to establish the Refugee Resettlement Ministry.
Bishop Cochrane was also known for his beautiful singing voice. His love of music began as a child chorister in church and continued throughout his life. He was a member of the original Robert Shaw Chorale upon graduation from high school in 1941. During his time as Bishop of Olympia he was a member of the Standing Commission on Church Music, which produced the Episcopal Church’s current Hymnal in 1982.
Caring and down-to-earth, Cochrane took great joy in preaching and teaching about the gospel, in talking to the children of the diocese, in laughing with his family, and in cheering on the Mariners and the Seahawks – regardless of their records.
Bishop Cochrane is survived by his wife of 58 years, Theresa Terry Tripi; two sons, Michael Maria in Virginia, and Stephen in New Jersey; two grandsons, Graham Shay and Wesleigh; and one great granddaughter Chloe.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Diocese of Olympia 1551 10th Avenue East, Seattle, 98102 to support mission work throughout Western Washington, or to the Virginia Mason Foundation 1218 Terry Ave., P.O. Box 1930, Seattle, 98111-9866 for cancer research.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 29th at 1:00 PM at St. Mark’s Cathedral on Capitol Hill in Seattle.