DONALD S. COHAN

1930 - 2018

COHAN
DONALD S.

The family of Donald S. Cohan is heartbroken to announce his death on October 20, 2018 at the age of 88.
Donald was born in New York, NY on February 24th, 1930 to Dora (Seldin) Smith and Nathan Alan Smith. After Nathan's premature death, Dora married William Cohan who adopted Donald at a young age.
Donald graduated cum laude with a BA from Amherst College and a LLD from Harvard Law University. He was a partner at Dilworth, Paxon, Kalish & Kauffman and was known as an authority on Wills, Trusts and Estate Law on which he widely published and lectured. Later, he changed careers when he founded the Donesco Company, specializing in real estate development, investment, management and consulting. Donald served on numerous Boards and Committees including The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Academy of Music, the United States Olympic Yachting Committee, the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, the Jewish Employment Vocational Services, the North American Friends of Israeli Oceanographic Institute, and Amherst College where he donated the Cohan Dormitory. He particularly enjoyed establishing the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in Philadelphia and serving on the Board of Governors at the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club in Massachusetts for many years. Active in many sports through-out his life-squash, tennis, skiing and golf, sailing became his passion at the age of 35. He represented the United States in over 16 World and Olympic Class Championships and was a member of the US Sailing Team. In 1972, Donald proudly represented our country in the Munich Olympics by winning a bronze medal in the Dragon class. He was the first Jewish athlete to win an Olympic medal in Yachting.
Donald was a true Renaissance man: a scholar, an athlete, a debater, a poet, a Patron of the Arts, a philosopher, an historian, and a family man. He was the recipient of numerous awards both personally and professionally, including the Senatorial Medal of Freedom. He set the bar high with his victories, attitude, generosity and sportsmanship and he actively fought through medical adversity. He battled Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma several times and numerous brain meningiomas. His family was always proud of his determination against the odds and the elements.
Donald was a voracious reader, a scholar, a practical joker. He was creative, competitive, and determined - a larger than life character. Above all, he was an exceptional husband and father and grandfather. His family always came first.
Donald is survived by his wife of 58 years, the light of his life, Trina (Polen) Cohan; his children, Rachel Cohan Albert, Benjamin Cohan and Susannah Cohan McQuillan; His son-in-laws, Jonathan Albert and Joe McQuillan and his grand-children, Sarah and Jake Albert, Minori and Manna Cohan, Will and Matthew McQuillan, and Kara McQuillan and her daughters Kaya and Sierra Secouler. He is also survived by his stepsiblings, Ron and Harvey Shapiro and Dede Ulanet; his brother-in-law, Stephen Polen; and many cousins, including Bob Cohan, Wilma Maskit, Jane Zeruld and Leonard Cohan.
Donald's memorial service will be determined at a future date. Donations in his memory may be made to The Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania in honor of his dear friend, Dr. John Glick, or to Sail Martha's Vineyard. There are no words to express how greatly Donald will be missed by those of us who have loved and cherished him throughout our lives. May his sails always be filled with steady winds as he dances above the rhythm of the waves.

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