David Cochran Consecrated Bishop of Alaska
Diocesan Press Service. September 13, 1974 [74239]
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The Rev. David Rea Cochran was consecrated fourth Bishop of Alaska on August 28 at the Recital Hall on the University of Alaska campus in Fairbanks. Nineteen bishops and nearly 1,000 persons were in attendance.
Bishop Cochran was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin -- his first consecration since being installed as Presiding Bishop in June. Co-consecrators were the Rt. Rev. William J. Gordon, Jr., resigned Bishop of Alaska, and the Rt. Rev. George T. Masuda, Bishop of North Dakota. Bishop Cochran had served as director of the Dakota Leadership Training program prior to his election to Alaska.
Other bishops in attendance included the Rt. Revs. Matthew P. Bigliardi (Oregon), Ned Cole (Central New York), Donald Davies (Dallas), Wesley Frensdorff (Nevada), John T. Frame (Yukon, Anglican Church of Canada), F. R. Gartrell (British Columbia, Anglican Church of Canada), Hal R. Gross (Suffragan, Oregon), D. W. Hambidge (Caledonia, Anglican Church of Canada), Hanford King (Idaho), Walter Jones (South Dakota), C. Kilmer Myers (California), Victor Rivera (San Joaquin), David S. Rose (Southern Virginia), William B. Spofford, Jr. (Eastern Oregon), and Robert M. Walterstorff (San Diego).
The Rev. Dr. H. Boone Porter, director of Roanridge, Kansas City, was preacher for the occasion.
Others in attendance included Jack Rowe, son of the first bishop of Alaska (Peter T. Rowe, 1895-1942), who presented his father's pectoral cross to the new bishop. Rowe said, "My father would have wanted his pectoral cross to remain in Alaska. "
Bishop Cochran was born in Buffalo, N.Y., on April 9, 1915, and is a 1939 graduate of the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, after obtaining his B.A. degree from Hamilton College, New York, in 1936.
He has served parishes in Michigan, Massachusetts, and North Dakota, and during World War II served as a U.S. Army chaplain. From 1946-52, Bishop Cochran was the Episcopal chaplain at the University of Washington in Seattle.
He is married to the former May Elizabeth Zabriskie and the Cochrans have three children, all of whom were present for the consecration.
A typical Alaskan welcome was given the Cochrans following the consecration, and included native entertainment by the Arctic Coast Dancers and Singers and the Minto Dancers and Singers.
Bishop Gordon, who last year announced his resignation as Bishop of Alaska after having served the Diocese for 26 years, said that he will be taking a six months' leave of absence and will temporarily live in Seattle. He has not announced further plans. (His temporary mailing address will be 2220 E. Miller, Seattle, Wash. 98112, for inclusion in your Clergy Changes column.)