Gordon E Cochrane

Gordon E. Cochrane was born August 30, 1928, to Elvis and Ruth Cochrane. His was a breach birth, which evidently was harder on his mama than on him, as he was born with the happy gene. The happy gene was recognizable to anyone who met him (and was in strong contrast to his elder brother, Don, but that's another obituary). Gordon was a fun and very funny man. He kept us laughing even when very ill in the hospital and nursing home in his final days. He died in Gig Harbor on June 13, 2023.
Gordy was an athlete complete with Dudley Do-right chin and Lil' Abner build. He attended Los Angeles Pacific College and then Seattle Pacific College, where he lettered in basketball. Gordy intended to become ordained as a Free Methodist preacher like his dad, but changed his mind and became a teacher instead. Eventually, he earned his PhD and returned to his alma mater to teach sociology at Seattle Pacific University (he would say "SPC"). His favorite part of being a university professor was the students. He loved his Cadre groups, advisor role, supporting the crew teams, and ski instruction. He did NOT love the pressure to publish, and solved it by publishing an article on Search and Rescue. He and his dog, Angel, were part of the German Shepherd S and R team that found evidence against Ted Bundy.
Gordy joined the army in 1950, where he played taps on his trumpet throughout Asia and Europe, and became the designated driver for his buddies. On leave in 1951, he married his college sweetheart, Caryl Harer, on April Fool's Day. True to form, he wore bright orange socks with his suit and accidentally knocked Caryl's veil off while feeding her cake.
Gordy tended to go all out in pursuit of interests. As a young married man on a low teacher's salary, he golfed so much that his wife prayed for him to have some perspective. Golf soon became a dead bore and the "dumbest sport on earth". He taught his 3 kids (Curt, Claudia and Don) and their friends to water and snow ski, fish, and play ball. If he couldn't remember someone's name, he just made one up-Claudia's friend Tony became "Salty McQuire". He was at his funniest during extended family Christmas slide shows and summer volleyball games with a non-stop running commentary. He loved his nieces and nephews and encouraged them in their education and careers. One niece described him as the Best Uncle Ever.
In the late 1970's, Gordon and Caryl took sabbaticals from their jobs and went to work in Africa. Gordon taught at the University of Ghana in Accra for a couple of quarters, then joined Al and Helen Nelson in the Republic of the Congo for mission work. There, he drove a tractor across central Africa from the coast to the interior. He refused to pay bribes to get through check points. The guards eventually realized he would wait them out, and let him pass without payment. In 1980, he traveled to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to help Phil and Carmena Capp establish their new seminary, EBSemSA. He built shelves for the library, painted, taught classes, dug holes for Carmena's landscaping plans and ate her "chicken gut soup" without complaint, but not without commentary. Gordon discovered tennis in Africa, and begged us to ship him tennis balls.
After Caryl's death in 1983, Gordon married a friend of Betty Jo McPhee's, JoAnne Medved. (Betty Jo had been Caryl's college roommate; she denied setting them up, but..come on, we all know the truth). Gordon and JoAnne built a home in Gig Harbor, WA., where his siblings had settled after retirement. He put in a pickle ball court and taught the grandkids to play. Gordon and JoAnne joined Harbor Covenant Church in its earliest days. They sang in the choir and Gordon taught adult Sunday School classes. They met regularly with a prayer group of close friends from church to support Steve and Lis Cochrane in their work through YWAM. Gordon participated in a men's Bible study that has continued for decades.
In retirement, he discovered woodworking, and spent hours creating toys, frames and fancy shelves for grandkids and their moms. He picked up tennis again, playing at least 3 times a week. He had an opportunity to play in the National Seniors Olympics in his 70's but...something happened (we don't know what). It might have been the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome at age 75. He kept playing anyway-he just made the handle of his racket thicker so it was easier to hold. An ankle replacement at age 80 began to slow him down, and after a few more games and ski trips he hung up his racket and skis.
The Internet and handheld electronic devices became his latest obsession. That way, he could always have a Bible handy, as well as attempt to get in touch with long lost students, friends and family. Did you ever look at his hands?! They were giant, with enormous sausage fingers. He frequently poked the wrong keys on whatever device he was using, and got stuck. Grandson Brad or another family member had to bail him out of a rabbit hole over and over. And over.
Gordon and JoAnne spent their later years traveling, visiting with and praying for family, missions, friends and neighbors. Road trips to Cannon Beach and local coffee shops were favorites.
Gordon is survived by his wife, JoAnne, his children Curt (Kathy) of Tenino, Claudia (David Kelley) of Seattle, and Don (Cathie Gormley) of Tacoma, 6 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, and multiple nieces and nephews and their kids. His biggest regret was living far from the grands and extended family and not seeing as much of everyone as he would have liked. The memorial service is Saturday, July 15th at 11:00 am at : Harbor Covenant Church located - 4901 Gustafson Dr. NW Gig Harbor, WA. 98335.
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