Robert Dale Cochran

COCHRAN, Robert D., Jr. "Bob"
Kalamazoo

Robert D. Cochran, Jr., 62, passed away on Thursday, June 13, 2019. He was born October 23, 1956 in Muskegon, MI to Robert, Sr. and Sandra (Long) Cochran. Bob was united in marriage to the former Fara Skinner on September 15, 1979.
Bob was born in Muskegon and spent his early years moving around several areas of rural Muskegon County. The family eventually settled in Grand Haven, where he graduated from Grand Haven High School in 1974. Bob was the oldest of seven siblings, and often found himself in the role of caretaker to the younger children while his parents worked second shift. Bob was never shy of giving his siblings advice or criticisms if asked. Bob attended Ferris State College and received an Associate Degree in Industrial Chemistry; he then started working towards a bachelor degree at Western Michigan University. Bob married Fara in Grand Haven in 1979. He took a job with the City of Kalamazoo Water Reclamation Plant in 1984, and worked there until he retired in July 2019. He held several different positions at the plant, and considered the people he worked with over those thirty-four years as a second family. Bob and Fara had two children, Caitlinn and Carter, and he worked hard to provide for them, often taking overtime shifts at work. He enjoyed taking the family on summer vacations to Brandywine Lake or Lake Michigan. He was proud of the adults his children have grown into. Bob also liked to fish and go to deer (beer) camp in the U.P. with his good buddies and brother, where he would play cribbage and euchre, cook, and shoot his muzzle loader once or twice. Every fall, Bob would take Fara up north to celebrate their wedding anniversary, which would have been forty years this September. He was a voracious reader; mostly westerns and mysteries. Bob was a good cook, and enjoyed making meals on vacations, cooking for his co-workers on the job, and entering his chili in various cook-offs, where he always (according to him) won first place. Bob loved being Grandpa, and helped spoil his grandsons whenever he could.

Bob is survived by his wife, Fara Cochran; children, Caitlinn Cochran and Carter (Paige) Cochran; 2 grandchildren, Xander and Reign; siblings, Steven (Eve) Cochran, Bryan (Lisa) Cochran, Duane Cochran, Cindy Chittendon, Kelly Wilson and Tanya Cochran; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert, Sr.; and his mother, Sandra (Alfred) Main. A memorial service will take place Thursday, June 20th at 1:00 pm at the First Congregational Church, 345 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, Rev. Nathan Dannison officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to First Congregational Church Deacon Fund or Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes.