Ernest Allen “Ernie” Cohen, 76, died Jan. 8, 2014.
Originally from Brooklyn, Mr. Cohen and his wife, Marsha, raised three children in Teaneck, N.J. before moving to Tucson in 1986. He served as president of the Teaneck Political Assembly, a non-partisan organization. He ran as a Democratic candidate for State Assembly in New Jersey, and although he lost the election, he beat his opponent, the mayor of Teaneck, in the town of Teaneck. Mr. Cohen was a graduate of New York University’s School of Commerce, now the Stern School, where he served as a student leader and delegate to the all-University Federation and the National Students Association. He attended NYU Law School, graduating first in his class in 1959, and later taught legal practice there. He was an associate at Proskauer, Rose, Goetz, and Mendelsohn, then founded his own firm, Cohen and Berman, in New York. He was a champion of organized labor. Mr. Cohen achieved the Bar Association rating of AV Preeminent. He was counsel for the Radio Officers Union and the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots. He was a delegate to the International Maritime Organization of the United Nations.
In Tucson, he continued to practice law and travel on behalf of maritime labor. He taught for several years at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. He was a student and instructor at the UA Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
A supporter of Israel, Mr. Cohen served as president of the Desert Caucus PAC. He started a hiking group called the “Seekers.”
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Marsha; children, Fern (Bob) Billet of Philadelphia, Dorrian (Dean) Fragola and Saul (Jenai) Cohen, both of Boston; and six grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Arrangements were made by Evergreen Mortuary and Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona or the UA Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
