Christopher Monteith Cochrane

On December 23, 2024 Christopher M. Cochrane, 75, of Mechanicsville, Virginia died of complications from a kidney transplant. The transplant itself was successful and we strongly support transplant programs. Chris suffered several infections and other health problems that left him too weak to continue to fight.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde M. and Mary Elizabeth Cochrane. He is survived by his wife, Susan Gholston and cousins Robin (John) Reed, Jen (Betty) Connell, and David Connell.

Chris graduated from the University of Virginia where he majored in Eastern religions. After several years of doing social work with the elderly, which always held a special place in his heart, he received a Master's degree in Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He then worked in several state agencies as a classification and compensation analyst, a human resources director and consultant.

As his working life subsided, he coordinated care for his uncle and was primary caregiver to his mother. When Susan’s father was in a car crash that left him quadriplegic, Chris gave extraordinary care to both Susan’s parents. A loving and supportive husband, he volunteered when Susan needed help with special projects and took on extra duties when she pursued additional studies. He enjoyed the companionship of numerous dogs throughout his life.

While he enjoyed surfing and skiing in his early years, his true passions were travel and Asian Aesthetics, interests that began in college. He traveled extensively and cultivated lasting friendships in a number of states and countries. In 1988 he joined the Richmond Bonsai Society, where he learned the fundamentals of bonsai, enjoyed the company of fellow bonsai students, and served terms as secretary, treasurer and president.

When the Internet became available in the early 1990’s, Chris participated on a listserv that grew into the Internet Bonsai Club, a web-based discussion forum. Here his interest was piqued in suiseki and viewing stones, a form of Asian Aesthetics often associated with bonsai. By the late 1990’s, he co-chaired the Viewing Stone Mail List, which led to serving as a moderator of the Internet Bonsai Club Stone Forum. He also served as the Webmail Correspondent for California Aiseki Kai.

Chris served on the Board of the National Bonsai Foundation, an organization that supports the U.S. National Arboretum’s National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington, D.C., from 1998-2023. He served as Secretary for 12 years and helped construct the Foundation’s first website.

In 1999 Chris became a founding member of the Potomac Viewing Stone Group (PVSG), a Potomac Bonsai Association Club. He served as president from 2005 until his death. He co-designed numerous PVSG exhibitions at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

Chris studied bonsai and suiseki in Japan for a year at the garden studio of Kunio Kobayashi. He also studied display aesthetics, tea ceremony and Japanese Garden Design in Japan. He was invited to contribute the section on bonsai included in The Oxford Companion to the Garden: Taylor, P. (Ed.). (2006). Oxford University Press.

Chris was happiest in a river searching for viewing stones with friends, hiking in the woods, doing research on Asian Aesthetics, and sharing what he had learned with others. Most of all, he loved his family and the people who share his passion.

An informal gathering to bid Chris farewell will be held at his home on January 26, 2025 from 11 AM to 4 PM. In lieu of flowers, a gift to the National Bonsai Foundation or the charity of your choice is suggested.