Thomas Haynes Cochran

1947 - 2024

Tom Cochran grew up in Northampton with his beloved brothers Phil and Joe Cochran, his adopted brother Kosta Taralinkoff, and his parents David and Mary Cochran. He attended Hoosac School where he later became a beloved teacher and Dean of Students in 2007. Tom and his wife Meredith built many gardens together on the family farm in Hancock, where he worked so hard to keep the crabgrass from taking over.

He smelled like pine trees, hard work, gasoline, and old books. He had big strong arms and incredible hair, and was over 7 feet tall (we think). He was indescribably cool. He made us shriek and laugh until our sides hurt when he pretended to close his eyes and take his hands off his truck's steering wheel. He hated snow and he loved the blues. Animals were drawn to him because he was safe and trustworthy and kind. At night, he softly played guitar in the back room, surrounded by tiny important objects, pictures, and keepsakes strewn across his desk and on the walls. He built stone walls. He made us pancakes on Sunday morning and pizza on Sunday night. He let you make up words in scrabble so long as you could define them. He always did the dishes after dinner while listening to one of his hundreds of cassette tapes. Sometimes his guitar picking nails were fortified by bright colored nail polish. He nurtured our interests and encouraged us to be weird, but not too weird. He composed songs for us on his guitar.

He played guitar every day until arthritis made playing too painful. He could fix anything. Tom loved his 1948 8N Ford tractor and kept the farm perfectly mowed even while undergoing treatment for cancer. He was the strongest person we've known, enduring and overcoming incomprehensible health challenges, defying the expectations of almost every single one of his doctors. We don't think he always knew how to tell us he loved us, especially after he lost the use of his voice, but he always showed us.

Thomas Haynes Cochran died on March 12, 2024 surrounded by his children and his wife of 40 years. He leaves behind his wife Meredith, son Charles, daughter Hannah, brothers Joe and Kosta, and dogs Lulu, Harry, and Bessie. His family and his beloved dogs miss him beyond measure. He tried so hard to stay with us and we love him for that.

Memorial donations can be made to the Berkshire Humane Society.