David Henry Cochrane

David Henry Cochrane passed away on July 3, 2023, at the age of 78, at the Neepawa Hospital. David was the son of Everett Henry Cochrane and Margaret Ellen (Goddard) Cochrane. He was born in East Chester, Nova Scotia, on January 5, 1945, while his parents were living in Halifax during one of his father’s postings with the Canadian Armed Forces, during WW II. After the war ended the family moved back to the tiny village of Silverton, Manitoba where his parents ran a small general store and post office. David’s sister Marion Wynne (Marni) was born in Russell, on September 16, 1946. David received his elementary school education in a one room, grade 1 to 8 school, in Silverton. When Everett passed away in 1960, the family moved to Russell, where David received his high school education at Major Pratt Collegiate. After high school, David entered Brandon College in 1963. He received the degree of Bachelor of Science from Brandon College in 1966. He then spent the next 4 years as a science teacher at Elphinstone Collegiate, in Elphinstone Manitoba. In the fall of 1970, he moved to Neepawa and began his 31 year career as a science teacher at Neepawa Area Collegiate. During the summers 1967 through 1973 he attended summer schools at the University of Manitoba. In 1973 he received the degree of Bachelor of Education from the University of Manitoba. In September of 1976, he took a one-year Sabbatical from his teaching position in Neepawa, and entered the Graduate School of the University of Texas at Austin. He returned to his teaching position at Neepawa Area Collegiate in the fall of 1977 but for the next several summers, he continued to attend summer schools in Texas, and in August, 1982, he received the degree of Master of Science Education from the University of Texas at Austin. David continued to teach science at Neepawa Area Collegiate until 2002, when he retired after a 35 year teaching career. During his teaching years, David spent 30 years coaching various high school volleyball teams. Over the years he spent countless evenings and weekends in the gym and at volleyball tournaments, but it was something that he very much enjoyed. In July 2002, right after retirement, David began a part time job with the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission in Neepawa, where he worked for 15 years. During his retirement years he also worked as a spare school bus driver for the Beautiful Plains School Division.  David was a lifelong sports enthusiast. He greatly enjoyed following professional and amateur sports live, or in the newspapers, or on TV. During his life he was able to attend NHL, MLB, CFL, NBA and NFL games. He was an ardent curler and golfer. He spent many hours at the rink and on the golf course, and made many lifelong friends there. He was also an avid downhill skier and over the years he was able to ski at 55 different ski resorts across North America. He took up snowboarding at 60 years of age and became quite accomplished at it. Another of David’s great passions was travelling. During his retirement years he was fortunate enough to be able to take 25 major trips and travel to 65 different countries and 6 continents throughout the world. During the winters of 2018, 2019, and 2020, David enjoyed spending time in snowbird communities in Weslaco, Texas, and in Phoenix, Arizona.   The Neepawa United Church was an important part of David’s life. He was officially confirmed into the church on August 31, 2014, but he had been a supporter and attendee at the church for many years prior to that. In the past he has served as Finance Chair on the local church board. He has been on the Board of Trustees for the past several years, and has most recently served on church committees which have successively brought about the formation of the Neepawa-Anglican Shared Ministry.  He was predeceased by his father, Everett (1960), mother Margaret (1991), brother-in-law Gordon Peters (2002), and sister Marni Peters (2023).  David is survived by his niece, Cheryl Peters, of Houston, Texas, plus many cousins from the Cochrane side of the family, as well as one cousin from the Goddard side of the family, now living in Fort McLeod, Alberta. David was thankful to all his healthcare providers, for their care and kindness during his battle with cancer. He was also extremely grateful for the help and support that he received from his friends.

   A celebration of Dave’s life will be held at the Neepawa United Church on Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 1:00 pm.