Benjamin Cocar was born on September 23, 1955 to Ana and Cornel Cocar in Lescovita, Caras Severin. At that time his father was a seminary student at the Seminary in Bucharest. His only brother, Buni, was born two years earlier.
He enjoyed a worry free childhood, but without much pampering.
In the home of pastor Cornel Cocar and wife Ana, the Scripture was often taught, his grandmother being the first neo-protestant believer in her village with a passion to save the souls of many. In their home the Scripture was studied and God was praised, his parents being gifted musicians. Their children did not inherit their parents’ musical talent but they cultivated a love for the Word. The Bible was their “internet”. Beni developed a special love for the Word and he devoured the Scriptures. During his teenage years, he read the whole Bible in only a month in spite of school responsibilities.
After Beni successfully completed “Iulia Hasdeu” High School in Bucharest, he graduated from the Baptist Theological Seminary at the age of 24. In April 1979, he married Dana Stef in a simple and private ceremony, a reflection of his personality. Next year he was ordained as pastor at the Baptist Church in Medias. He served beside his father-in-law and mentor, pastor Ioan Stef. His service at that church was outstanding in spite of serious persecution.
Beni had an immense love for Christ and a great passion for the eternal salvation of many. The “special attention” that the communist secret service surrounded him with, did not frighten him, but strengthened his conviction that he needed to persevere. And he did. Countless people were blessed by his choice. Many met the Lord Jesus as their Savior, Shephard and Physician through Beni and his mentor, brother Stef.
The Lord blessed not only the church in Medias but also the family of Beni and Dana Cocar. One of these blessings was named Remalian, the joy of the parents and grandparents, since 1980 when he came into this world.
In 1986 the Stef and Cocar families immigrated to the United States, and traveled on the same plane with his brother Buni and family, choosing Detroit, MI as their home. There they served in the Baptist Church located in Troy until 2001 when they moved to Atlanta where Remalian started his doctorate program at the Emory University. Beni said at that time: “We’ll always stay together”.
Beni taught many years at different seminaries: in Detroit at Tyndale College and in Atlanta at Luther Rice Seminary. In these places, Beni was God’s tool in shaping many young Christian servants. This was the kind of service that was always dear to his heart.
Beni has always burned like a candle for the kingdom of God and his family. Nothing was too much, no sacrifice too big. His slogan in the beginning of his work in Romania, in Medias was: “The entire city for Christ”. This fire was only extinguished in the moment when his race was over.
Eternal life is what he preached about and desired as a Christian, but the thought of leaving his loved ones behind overwhelmed him in his time of sickness. He felt pressed from both sides and did not know what to choose. In the end he didn’t get to choose, because the Lord said: “Those left behind, I will care for”.
Beni was truly a man of God and he will be greatly missed by all those that knew him. He respected his parents and loved his wife. He would do everything for Dana, and he truly did all that he was allowed to. He did the same for Remalian, and after his son married Carmen Feier, she became his daughter, too. Aletheia, his granddaughter, was an infinite source of joy and happiness in their home.
In the end it was Beni’s turn to go to meet his Lord and Savior.
Why so soon? We would like to know, but until we get an answer, we are thankful that He knows it.
To God be the Glory for a life well lived!