Rita Lyn Cohen's Obituary
COHEN, Rita Lyn (94), Wife, Mom, Grandma, Great-grandma, Sister, Aunt, Matriarch, of Miami, Florida, passed away August 7, 2022 surrounded by adoring family. For nine decades, when she walked into a room, heads turned; every man and woman was instantly struck by her beauty. Then taken by her poise, wit, and chutzpah. She traveled the world and visited every candy store, tasted the fries at every McDonald’s (they’re different) and always ordered dessert first! She embraced life’s sweetness, overcame its bitterness and lived every day for her family.
Born in New York to Esther and Max Zalkin, she was a Floridian since 1942 and a Miami resident since 1946. Rita is survived by Jerome “Jerry” Cohen her beloved husband of 72 years. Their love affair began at the University of Miami in 1946 and produced four children; Joanne Ransom (Richard), Lawrence Cohen (Nancy), Adrianne Spiegelman (Charles) and Richard Cohen (Vikki). She leaves 8 adored grandchildren: Melinda, Eric (Talia), Billy (Meghan), Tim (Maricela), Jeffrey (Jen), Thomas (Chantal), Colby, Jade (Chris Foley); and eight great-grandchildren, Dylan, Saul, Jordan, Ellora, Elianah, Willow, Ezra and Joanna. Rita will be greatly missed by her brother Howard, his wife Sharon, their sons Miles and John; her sister-in-law Rosalyn and daughter Ellen; and nephews Jeffrey, Rick and David, the sons of her beloved sister Rose Ross, who passed away six weeks ago. Rita also leaves former daughter-in-law, Eileen and an extended family of devoted friends that she loved very much.
Rita and Jerry loved performing arts and generously supported the Arsht Center, Miami City Ballet, New World Symphony, Florida Grand Opera and numerous South Florida theaters including GableStage, Actor’s Playhouse, Miami New Drama and Palm Beach Dramaworks. She was a member of the Society of Founders at Mount Sinai Medical Center, a Grand Founder of Miami Jewish Health Systems and a member of the Ibis Society of Founders at UM, and UM Heritage Society. Rita was most proud that she and her beloved Jerry were the original founders of the Debbie Classroom for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where she volunteered.
Among her final triumphs, one of her proudest achievements, was to compel Jerry, a lifelong Republican (nobody’s perfect), to vote for President Joe Biden. Donations in memory of Rita Lyn Cohen can be made to the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU,
https://jmof.fiu.edu/ A Chapel Service will be held Thursday, August 11 at 11:00am at Levitt Weinstein Blasberg-Rubin-Zilbert 18840 W Dixie Highway in North Miami Beach.
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