Edmund Cohen's Obituary
Edmund Cohen, 84, passed away peacefully at his home in Ashburn, Virginia on August 6. Preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Adele Cohen, and his sister, Roberta Monokroussos, and survived by his wife of 42 years, Gwendolyn May Cohen, his stepdaughter, Alyssa Duvall (Thomas Winship), his granddaughter, Alexandra Winship, and his nephew, Dennis Monokroussos (Jessica). Mr. Cohen grew up in the Bronx, NY, graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1958. He went on to attend The City College of New York, Columbia University, and American University where he earned his Juris Doctor in 1973.
Known for his wit, Mr. Cohen was a great orator, gifted wordsmith, and had clever turns of phrase to share. Always in pursuit of knowledge, he was famous for his book collection which spanned 18,000+ titles. Judaism was an important part of his heritage being foundational in his belief system and his approach to life, plus he donated a sizable portion of his book collection to Temple Rodef Shalom.
An accomplished attorney and manager, Mr. Cohen had a distinguished career with the Central Intelligence Agency. During his 40 years with the Agency, Mr. Cohen had four distinctly different careers. He was a respected senior intelligence analyst who helped shape how analysis was done. He earned his law degree and mastered intelligence law, winning acclaim for his prodigious workload and his success in a number of difficult cases. As a manager in the Office of Personnel, he pioneered initiatives and management principles that shaped the Agency. In his fourth career, Mr. Cohen built an Office of Information Management Services, transforming the Agency's record, classification management, and declassification review infrastructure. He earned the CIA Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal and retired in 2008 to become the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia. Later Mr. Cohen worked an additional 12 years as an independent contractor.
Beyond his career and rich personal life, Mr. Cohen was a dedicated Mason, and his legacy of service spanned decades, from his early days in Henry Lodge No. 57, through countless roles in the Grand Lodge, Scottish Rite, Royal Arch (Grand High Priest), and Shriners. He was proud of his involvement in the world's oldest and largest fraternal organization.
Mr. Cohen will be remembered for his many interests and loves, including cruising and travel with Gwen; reading; food, which covered everything from strip-mall Chinese to high-end steak houses; and anything chocolate. Mr. Cohen treasured the many cats he had over the years. Beyond books, he collected paperweights, gadgets, and acquired impressive works of art. He had a curious mind and relished intellectual argument.
Ed Cohen was generous with his time, money, and wisdom, sharing all of these with his family, friends, and coworkers. He will be missed and his memory will live on.
A Memorial Service will be held on 22 September.
In lieu of flowers, a contribution can be made to Alzheimer's Association https://www.alz.org/
The Masonic Home of Virginia https://www.mahova.org/donate/ , or a charity of your choice.
What’s your fondest memory of Edmund?
What’s a lesson you learned from Edmund?
Share a story where Edmund's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Edmund you’ll never forget.
How did Edmund make you smile?