George Kohn

1940 - 2025

George Kohn
George Childs Kohn, 84, of Madison, Connecticut, passed away on May 5, 2025, at Shoreline Medical Center - Guilford. A memorial service will take place at St. Andrews Church in Madison at 10 a.m. on Saturday June 21, 2025, followed by a burial at West Cemetery in Madison. Born on May 27, 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, George attended the Hotchkiss School for Boys. He earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1963 as a member of St. Anthony Hall and a M.Ed. from the University of Hartford in 1968. He began his career as Advertising Manager with the West Hartford News before becoming a high school English teacher in Deep River. He then worked as vice-president and editor for Laurence Urdang, Inc. from 1976-1980, where he edited and compiled numerous reference books and encyclopedias. After starting his own research and editorial services company in 1980, George wrote and published reference books on a range of topics from Encyclopedia of American Scandal to Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence. His Dictionary of Wars was translated and published in multiple other languages and was selected as one of New York Public Library's "1986 Reference Books to Remember." His Dictionary of Historic Documents was similarly honored as one of NYPL's "Outstanding Reference Books of the Year" in 1991. George was an avid golfer and loved to garden, walk, read, and spend time with family and friends. He was preceded in death by his son Peter Corbin Kohn, father Phillip Corbin Kohn, Mother Elizabeth Childs Kohn, stepmother Marion Thompson Kohn, and stepbrother David Keser. He is survived by his wife and soulmate of 58 years Jutta, daughter Christina Caplan (Lee), grandchildren Luke, Nicole, and Natalie, sisters Betsy Kohn and Cynthia Hobart, and stepsister Kate Keser. George will be lovingly remembered for his kindness, generosity, good nature, thirst for knowledge, and genuine interest in people and learning. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Kidney Fund (https://www.kidneyfund.org/) and the Neuroimmune Foundation (https://neuroimmune.org/). Friends and family are invited to remember and celebrate George's life at St. Andrews Church on June 21 at 10 a.m.