Lee Cohen

Lee David Cohen VIRGINIA BEACH - Lee David Cohen died after a courageous and unrelenting battle with non-small cell sarcoma, with his family by his side and in the comfort of his and his wife Arleen's home. Lee was regarded by all to be a man who did not complain about much, especially his lot in life, and died with few if any regrets. Lee was born in Cincinnati to Benjamin H. Cohen and Bertha (Glasser) Cohen, and was raised in a loving family environment. He attended Walnut Hills High School before going off to college at the University of Miami. Lee was the middle child, with his brother Stanley before him and his brother Myron after. It was in this household that an appreciation for music was stressed and this became a lifelong love for the boys. After college, Lee joined the U.S. Air Force and rose to the rank of captain while active duty, and major in the reserves. Lee was the special services officer for U.S. Air Force Base Langley, and coordinated top performer appearances with the USO throughout the Far East. He later helped establish the MWR program at USAFB Langley. After his tour of duty, he came back to Tidewater and with his brother, Myron, co-founded Sir Galahad Company, the largest single family home builder in Virginia in the 1970s. They also co-founded Kitchen Towne and Towne Distributors, which became one of the leading builder-distributers on the East Coast. Lee was also the founder of Solar One LTD, the only solar collector company in Virginia, and one that rose to prominence throughout the East Coast, garnering the recognition of the Carter Administration, and resulting in the appointment of Lee to the "Solar Bank" which was designated to provide low interest loans to the needy for the purchase of Solar Hot Water Systems. After Lee retired in his 60s, he became famous for his emailed joke list, with hundreds of recipients and spanning several continents. Many of Lee's friends would comment that they knew instantly if Lee was ill or on vacation, because that was the only time the jokes would stop! Lee leaves behind a large and loving immediate and extended family. His wife, Arleen, and her mother, Eleanor, have been by his side as constant companions and dinner dates for more than 45 years. He was predeceased by his mother and father, as well as father-in-law, Irvin Cohen, and his brother, Stanley Cohen. Lee leaves his son, Benjamin David Cohen, his daughter-in-law Tarra, and their three children, Barbara, David and Aaron. Lee was an integral part of his extended Glasser family from his mother's side, and will be missed by all of his cousins. Lee was generous to a fault, a visionary and entrepreneur who prided himself on being able to recognize a good idea when he saw one. Lee could spot a growing trend from far away, and was regarded by those who knew him to be ahead of his time in many of the projects he started, such as the Energy Saving Products line at Sir Galahad, and the solar systems, solar dog house, passive solar designs, and media rooms at Solar One. Lee shared his knowledge and wealth with family and friends alike, often helping friends that others would not help. Lee had a voracious appetite for life, and was always the most charismatic guy in the room. His gracious personality made him both a professional and personal success. These traits earned Lee the undying gratitude of many friends and family throughout the country who would regularly call on him, just to make sure that he was doing well (long before he ever became ill or advanced in age), and to be there for his every need. Lee's family would like to thank all the friends and family who have regularly checked in on him and offered help, as well as all of the caregivers who have helped him in his battle with sarcoma and related illnesses. Our special thanks go to Theresa and Minowtie, as well as the caregivers at Heartland Hospice. A memorial service will be held Dec. 6 at 11 a.m. at Ohef Sholom Temple, 530 Raleigh Ave., Norfolk, VA 23510, with a reception to follow at the temple. Condolences can be emailed to Benjamin Cohen at cohenlawgroup@gmail.com, and memorial donations may be made to The Virginia Beach Contemporary Arts Center, c/o The Cohen Family Arts Scholarship, where the money will be used to help establish a Music and Arts scholarship in Lee's memory. Please email Ben for more information on how to donate. As an alternative, please consider a donation to Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad, who were very caring and helpful throughout Lee's illness. Donations can be sent to: OPVRS, P.O. Box 5545, Virginia Beach, VA 23471.