Phyllis Cohen

 

ITHACA, NY

Phyllis Cohen died peacefully in Ithaca, New York on December 9, 2011, at the age of 89.

Born August 5, 1922, in New York, NY, she was the daughter of the late Isaac and Leah (Rosengarten) Cohen. She spent the first 77 years of her life in the New York City metropolitan area, before moving to Kendal At Ithaca in 1999. Phyllis attended Oberlin College and Teachers College, Columbia University, graduating from the latter in 1944. The following year, she married Arthur R. Cohen, her loving companion until his death in 1986. A music lover and talented pianist since childhood, Phyllis gave lessons, performed, and accompanied others up until the last months of her life. For many decades, she was active in Hadassah, a Jewish women’s volunteer service organization, and remained a generous supporter of progressive causes. Phyllis will be remembered as a friendly, outgoing person with a natural interest in others and the world around her, a strong commitment to family, and a keen sense of humor. She is survived by her son Walter and his wife Laura; her son Larry and his wife Brigitte; her daughter Shari; her grandchildren Ana, Jonah, Lawrence, and Gabriel; her brother Ira and his wife Jean; her nieces Madeline, Alice, and Jennifer and her nephew Marvin; as well as by many cousins.

A celebration of Phyllis’s life will be held at Kendal At Ithaca, beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 17, 2011. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in Phyllis’s name to the Manhattan School of Music: www.msmnyc.edu/Give-to-MSM/Making-a-Gift.