Obituary of Rita B. Cohen

RITA BERNER COHEN 1915-2009 COHEN Albany, New York Rita B. Cohen, age 94 of the Daughters of Sarah Nursing Home in Albany died on Tuesday September 15, 2009 at the nursing home. Born in Troy, NY, Rita was the daughter of the late Paul and Rebecca Rosenberg Berner. She was a graduate of Troy High School and was a 1937 graduate of Russell Sage College with a degree in Business Education. She was a member of Temple Beth El in Troy where she served on the board and was also the first female president of the temple. She had been President of the Upper New York State Region of Hadassah, a member of the National Board of Hadassah and was honored by Capital District Hadassah in 2006 for her many years of active and successful fundraising. Rita was a much loved and respected activist in the Jewish community. She enjoyed sewing clothes for herself and her family, knitting, needlepoint, gardening and was an excellent cook. Many of Rita's oil paintings hang in her daughter's homes. In 1997 Rita wrote her autobiographical, "My Memoirs". Rita was married to Jerome L. Cohen M.D. until his passing in 2003. She is survived by daughters, Harriet C. Rappaport of New York City and Laura B. Cohen of Albany, NY as well as her son-in-law, Jay A. Rappaport of NYC and her sister, Florence B Goynes. Grandmother of Julie R. Rappaport and Katie S. Rappaport. She also leaves nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Services at the Beth El Cemetery on Belle Avenue in Troy, NY on Thursday September 17, 2009 at 3:00pm. The period of mourning will be observed at the Cohen residence, 131 Onderdonk Avenue in Albany, NY on Thursday following the service of interment. Memorial contributions may be made to Temple Beth El, 411 Hoosick Street Troy, NY 12180 or Hadassah of the Capital District.