In Memoriam

Richard B. Cochran '43 His love of sports was contagious By Karen Tongue Hammond '64

A skier so graceful that his technique was the envy of his friends, Dick Cochran '43 passed on his love of the sport not just to his own sons but to the larger community. Together with his late wife, Ann, he organized the first Oyster River High School Ski Club, opening their home as a gathering place for young skiers. They also helped developed Garrison Hill in Dover, N.H., into a bustling little ski area that served the community well for many years. Cochran, 91, died of a heart attack in April just as Garrison Hill, which had fallen into disrepair, was enjoying a resurgence as a spot for snowboarders.

At UNH, Cochran was president of Kappa Sigma, played lacrosse and joined the Outing Club. He served as a Navy Seabee in the Pacific during World War II. After the war, he worked on hydroelectric projects in Maine and Canada before beginning a 30-year career at Pease Air Force Base, where he rose to the position of associate base civil engineer. His expertise and knowledge of the base were so comprehensive that even after the conversion of the base to the Pease International Tradeport, he was often consulted when engineering questions arose.

Cochran enjoyed all sports, says his son Richard "Andy" '79, and when early spring arrived, his thoughts turned from skiing to hiking, sailing and fishing, interests he and Andy shared. They shared a fish story, too--the one that got away. They were fishing in fog past the Isles of Shoals when they hooked a huge tuna. "It broke the line just as we were hauling it in," Andy says. Dick wasn't deterred. He landed—and occasionally lost—fish well into his 70s. No one was surprised that he remained so active. In his younger years he was indefatigable, says Andy: sometimes he would hike Tuckerman's Ravine in the morning and then come home to gather up his fishing gear for an afternoon on the water.

Married for 59 years, Dick and Ann were great supporters of UNH sports teams. "Hockey games were played outside then," says their son David '74, "and one of the first lessons I remember him teaching me was where to stand to avoid flying bodies and flying pucks." Dick taught important life lessons as well. Always honest, he expected nothing less from his sons. He always encouraged his family's varied interests. When his wife began working with the UNH Celebrity Series, which brought internationally known performers to campus, he helped her entertain them, often at the family home. "Some stayed overnight with us," remembers David. In high school, when David became interested in summer theater, his father lent his engineering expertise to a group building the Hackmatack Playhouse in North Berwick, Maine. David sometimes worked alongside him, proud of his father's ability to solve difficult construction problems. When Andy opened Salmon Falls Stoneware in Dover, Dick did everything from laying bricks to wiring lamps—content as always to lend a hand and to be in the company of his family.

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