Cochrane Elected Bishop Coadjutor of Olympia
Diocesan Press Service. October 14, 1975 [75347]
SEATTLE, Wash. -- For the first time in its history, the Diocese of Olympia in western Washington State, elected one of its own clergy to be its future bishop.
The Rev. Robert H. Cochrane, rector of Christ Church, Tacoma, Washington, was elected Bishop-Coadjutor on the eighth ballot at a special meeting of Convention at St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, Saturday, October 4.
Father Cochrane was one of five nominations made by the Nominating Committee appointed by the Diocesan, the Rt. Rev. Ivol I. Curtis. Ten other nominations were made from the floor of the convention.
Bishop Curtis had made known his intention to retire from office at or near the end of 1975, for reasons of health, when he issued his call for the election of a coadjutor. The bishop suffered a mild stroke on Maundy Thursday of this year. He also at the convention announced the assignment to the coadjutor of the supervision of the mission churches and one half of the episcopal visitations.
Father Cochrane is a native of New York City, but has spent his time in the ministry, since his ordination to the diaconate in 1951, in the Dioceses of San Joaquin, Nevada, Utah, and Olympia. He became rector of Christ Church in 1969. The 51 year old priest and his wife, Theresa, are the parents of two sons, one a high-school junior, and the other a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point.