Richard (Dick) Cochran was born June 23, 1938, to Harold Lee and Eleanor Cochran. He attended Brookfield R-III schools for his entire elementary and secondary education. Dick was a standout in track and field starting in his junior high school years. During the 1950’s era athletes competed in both indoor and outdoor track seasons. The BHS indoor track squads won the state championship in 1953 and 1955, and finished 3rd in state in 1954 and 1956. The outdoor squads took 3rd place in 1953, 1954, and 1956, and 4th in 1955. Dick was a major player on all of these track teams, taking the outdoor discus championship in 1955 and 1956. He was the indoor and outdoor champion in the shot put in 1956. Dick was also a stand out member of the football team.

Following graduation in 1956, Dick attended the University of Missouri where he earned a Masters Degree in Education . He was on the University of Missouri track and field team and won two NCAA discus championships, 1959 and 1960 and represented the United States in the 1959 Pan American Games taking second in the discus. He won Big Eight Conference discus crowns in 1959 and '60, and achieved a track-and-field rarity in 1959 when he was a grand-slam winner in discus, claiming championships in the Texas, Kansas, and Drake Relays. He continued his undefeated streak in 1959 by winning the NCAA Championship in the event. In 1960 he repeated as Big Eight and NCAA champion. He was inducted into the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993. He competed and won the bronze medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, the first Olympic Games to be televised. Dick still continues to dominate in discus in the senior Olympic games recently held in Washington state.

On his return from the Olympics Dick married Dee Dee. They are the parents of three children, Richard "Rick" Cochran Jr, Caryn "Cary" Cochran Wedekind and Christopher "Chris" Cochran, and grandparents to six grandchildren . He started his teaching and coaching career in Fulton, Mo, and Ruskin High School in Kansas City.

In 1969, he went into business with Browning-Ferris, an environmental company. He now resides in the St. Louis area and has resumed his throwing career in the USA Masters Track and Field competitions and was a ten-time Masters Champion. He is currently on the Lindenwood University track and Field coaching staff.

The Brookfield R3 School Board recently voted to name the District's Track and Field Facilities "Cochran Field" in honor of his many accomplishments.