Frieda Gilbert Cohen

1925 - 2018

On September 1, 2018, Frieda Gilbert Cohen escaped the ravages of dementia and passed on to a better place.
Born on August 10, 1925 in Lawrence MA. Frieda was the middle of three sisters. Her older sister Ann and younger sister Shirley both predeceased her.
Frieda grew up in a three decker tenement surrounded by other immigrant Jewish families. Her father was a tailor and her mother had more than enough responsibilities running the household, raising 3 girls and trying to make ends meet.
At an early age, Frieda showed a clear desire to make a career for herself. This ambition led her to apply to the NH State Hospital School of Nursing in Concord. She graduated as an RN and was immediately put in charge of a ward.
It was while in Concord that Frieda met her future husband, Paul Cohen. Their courtship was love at first sight complicated by a mutual stubbornness. Love persevered and they married in 1947.
Frieda left her nursing career to work alongside her husband in his family business, Max Cohen + Sous, a local junkyard. Success did not come easy. Their business suffered through the death of Max, Frieda's father in law, the premature death of Paul's partner and bother Joe at the age of 43 and Paul's cancer diagnosis.
As always and through out each of these adversities, Frieda took charge, instilled calm and faith and made sure everything was kept in order.
As their fortunes improved and more stability came into her life, Frieda had time and energy to dedicate herself to other interests.
She was active member of the Sisterhood at Temple Beth Jacob and for many years co-chaired the welcoming committee with her husband. Frieda's warmth and wonderful entertaining skills more than made up for her husband's bad jokes, together they made many life long friends.
In later life, Frieda and her husband had the good fortune of foreign travel, winters in warm weather and summers in Maine.
In 2004 Frieda's partner, her best friend and pain in the butt husband lost his long battle with cancer. Honestly her life was never the same after Paul's death. She missed him terribly and thought of him every day.
Frieda is survived by her two children, Sharon Ingendahl and Steven Cohen, their spouses Lukas Ingendahl and Jane Cohen, and three grandchildren, Eli and Isabella Ingendahl and Max Cohen.
She would want to thank her many care givers but especially Betty and Sandy for all their kindness and attention.
With all the discord presently in our country and the emergence of anti-Immigration, white supremacy and increased incidents of anti-Semitism, Frieda and how she lived her life, should be a model for all of us.
She would tell you of growing up poor, of her immigrant parents family members who died in concentration camps, of her own encounters with anti-Semitism and working as a woman in a blue collar men's world.
Despite these circumstances, Frieda always remained caring, outgoing and concerned for others. She was always appreciative of her good fortune, always has a kind word and treated everyone with the same respect, no matter their station in life, color or religion.
Any donations you may consider should be a simple act of kindness.
Services will be held on Tuesday Sept. 4, 2018 at 11AM at Temple Beth Jacob, 67 Broadway, Concord NH.
Burial will follow at Blossom Hill Cemetery.