Philip Cohen

News Obituary Article

 COVINGTON: Philip Cohen, 69, merchant

By J.E. GESHWILER

Philip Cohen fit his hometown like a finely tailored suit.

He was a longtime clothing merchant on Covington's picturesque downtown square. He was a tireless community leader. He was a kind and generous neighbor and an engaging personality at social gatherings.

He was the third-generation owner of Cohen's, a dry goods store founded 111 years ago by his great-uncle.

"Dad started working at the store when he was 6 and stayed with it until he completed the store's sale when he was 66," said his son, Lee Cohen of Hampden-Sydney, Va. "But it continues to operate under the name Cohen's Men's Shop."

Philip Cohen explained the store's longevity in a 1993 Journal-Constitution interview. He often went to New York City to buy his clothing line directly from manufacturers, he said, which meant he could sell top-quality goods cheaper than competitors who dealt with wholesalers.

"As a civic leader. Philip was extraordinary. There aren't many groups he wasn't president or treasurer of," said Covington's city manager, Frank Turner Sr. "And he did tons of philanthropy he never wanted credit for."

Among the groups in which he took the lead were the Newton County Chamber of Commerce, the First Nation Bank, the Kiwanis Club, the Friends of the Public Library, and the county's historical society and arts association.

"Philip was a peacemaker," Mr. Turner said. "If there was a hot issue dividing the community, he'd calm folks down and find a way to arrive at a reasonable conclusion."

The memorial service for Mr. Cohen, 69, of Covington, is 2 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church of Covington. He died of a stroke Wednesday at Hospice Atlanta. J.C. Harwell & Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

For years, Mr. Cohen made a Wednesday afternoon tradition of hosting other merchants and downtown friends in a backroom of his store for a couple of hours of beer and conversation, said his brother, George Cohen of Atlanta.

The store was also used for an occasional scene of the TV series, "In the Heat of the Night," and Mr. Cohen often assisted the show's wardrobe chief when an item of clothing was needed in a hurry.

"Phil had a bit part in one of the shows," his brother said, "but when the scene was televised, all you could see was the top of his head."

A thoughtful neighbor, Mr. Cohen often drove people who couldn't drive themselves to medical appointments in Atlanta, said a friend, Dr. Harry Faulkner of Covington. "Phil also made a custom of driving to middle Georgia each summer and bringing back bushels of peaches to distribute to friends."

"Phil was a gifted storyteller and often told stories on himself," the doctor said. "Hostesses loved to invite him to their parties because he was so entertaining."

A longtime jogger, Mr. Cohen ran in the Peachtree Road Race and in shorter runs in the Covington area.

"Once in the early '90s," his brother said, "Phil ran in a local race wearing a tuxedo and black-and-white running shoes. The tux was a way of advertising tuxedo rentals at his store. Unfortunately, he fell at the end and banged himself up a bit."

Also surviving is another son, Phil Cohen of Indialantic, Fla.

© 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution