Obituary: Lillian Cohen, 99
Lillian Cohen, age 99, of Atlanta died Friday, June 12, 2015. She was preceded in death by her husband, Morris Cohen.
Lil defined the word matriarch. Not one to sit on the sidelines, she truly enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest. She will always be remembered for her love of family, sharp wit and spirit of adventure. Born in Forsyth, Ga., to Bessie and Abraham Bloom, she graduated from Mary Persons High School, where she was captain of the girls basketball team and editor of the school newspaper and was voted most likely to succeed. She worked in Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., before returning to Forsyth to help run the family dry goods store. During that time she attended Draughns Business School.
On New Year’s Eve 1945, Lil met Morris “Maish” Cohen. After a three-month courtship, they were happily married for 25 years. They bought a home in Morningside, Atlanta, where they raised their three children and where she resided for 69 years. Lil worked alongside Maish at the family drugstore, Silverman’s Pharmacy, until it burned down in 1972. In addition, she worked for the Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta, Heery and Heery, and the Atlanta Jewish Community Center, retiring at 75 years old.
Lil was an avid Zionist and an active member of Hadassah, for which she served as regional president and led several tours to Israel. She was also a member of Ahavath Achim Synagogue and supported Habitat for Humanity. Lil loved to travel and meet new people. Her trips took her around the world and across the United States. Her home was always open to family and friends and new and different people. Her Sunday brunches were famous for lively political debates. Lil took up snow skiing at the age of 60, and she loved the ocean, playing bridge, the Atlanta Braves, and vodka tonics.
Lil was predeceased by her sister, Ethel Steinberg, and brother, David Bloom. She is survived by a daughter, Margie Eden of Atlanta; a daughter and son-in-law, Esther Cohen and Peter Klein of Boulder, Colo.; a son and daughter-in-law, Arthur and Jennifer Cohen of Atlanta; grandchildren Jason and Ginny Eden, Brent and Sara Eden, Danielle Napolitano, Misha Cohen, Tai Cohen, Misra Cohen-MacGill, and Aria Cohen-Klein; and great-grandchildren Jack, Bates, Oliver and Miles Eden. The family gratefully thanks Lil’s loving caregivers, Pat Green, Twanda Dunlap, Denise Buchanan and Salma Furbush, for their loving dedication and service.
Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 14, at Greenwood Cemetery with Rabbi Neil Sandler officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hadassah and Habitat for Humanity. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
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