Brenda Helene Cohen
1940 – 2025
Brenda Helene Cohen died on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025 from complications of dementia. She was born on July 8, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York, daughter of Hyman and Diana Cooperman. After graduation from Wingate High School’s S.P. classes, she attended a year at Hunter College and then transferred to Brooklyn College, where she majored in History and minored in English. Upon joining the house plan of Harper House, she met her future husband, Paul Cohen, of Strong House. Shortly after her graduation from Brooklyn College in 1961, she married him and spent over 40 years together, becoming “Paul-and-Brenda.”
After college, she worked as an editor for a union newspaper in Manhattan. After some short sojourns, the couple moved to Ewing Township, New Jersey, where she took some graduate classes in Art History. Then she began a many-decade career at the Trenton State College (later The College of New Jersey) Library, first as a music librarian, then computer laboratory manager, and finally as Archivist, before retiring in 2003. With Paul, she consulted with school systems around the United States on Gifted and Talented Education, and presenting research at educational symposia. After their year-long residence near Nottingham, England in 1985–1986, they began writing columns entitled “Science, Past and Present” describing important scientific sites of interest in Europe and North America for the Journal of College Science Teaching. This monthly column led to their book, America’s Scientific Treasures, published by the American Chemical Society in 1998. The duo lectured to organizations on local scientific sites of interest, and how art and science were intertwined.
As a teen and young adult, she was interested in modern dance, folk music, and ancient history of the Middle East. She loved visiting art museums and concerts of classical music. During her time in Ewing, she was active in the League for Women Voters, then Har Sinai Temple, eventually becoming part of the synagogue’s first Adult Confirmation Class in 1980 and the adult Home Study Group. She was a founding member of the Jewish Historical Society of Trenton. She and Paul loved to collect artistic souvenirs of their many world travels, on display throughout her home. Brenda had a great love of historical fiction, history museums, cooking and cookbooks of all sorts, and her grandchildren.
After Paul’s death in 2004, she moved to Princeton, and became an active member of the Jewish Center, attending the Talmud Classes, as well as attending musical concerts and art shows in the area. She continued to offer lectures, including acting as a guest lecturer on a cruise to Alaska. She co-authored with her son the second edition of America’s Scientific Treasures in 2020. She often hosted small “salon-style” intellectual gatherings in her home after Shabbat services.
As her dementia became more apparent, she moved to Ann’s Choice in Warminster, Pennsylvania for the last years of her life.
Survivors include her sister, Dr. Carol Nadelson, of Brookline, Massachusetts, son Dr. Stephen Cohen (Dr. Naomi Basickes) of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, daughter Dr. Mara Cohen (Robert Anderson) of Springfield, Missouri; three grandchildren: Daniel Cohen (Kaycie Santiago) of New York City; Sasha Cohen Ioannides (David Arnesen) of Stockholm, Sweden; and Hannah Cohen (Ian Baucke) of Santa Barbara, California; nieces and nephews; and many, many cousins.
Donations in her memory may be sent to Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and to the Alzheimer’s Association. NO FLOWERS, PLEASE.
Funeral services and burial are Thursday, May 15, at 11:00 am at Floral Park Cemetery, 104 Deans Rhode Hall Road, Monmouth Junction (South Brunswick), New Jersey. Zoom service attendance is available; please contact Naomi Basickes.
Shiva will be held at Stephen Cohen’s home from Thursday evening, May 15th to Tuesday evening, May 20th (excluding Friday, May 16th) at 7:00 pm. Shiva will be held at Mara Cohen’s home from Sunday, May 18th to Monday, May 19th at 7:00 pm.
Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences please visit OrlandsMemorialChapel.com/Brenda-Cohen