Arlan Cohn

1930 - 2021

Arlan Price Cohn
September 14, 1930 - January 15, 2021
Our dear father, Arlan Price Cohn, died peacefully in his sleep on January 15, 2021. He was ninety years old. In the past few years his health had declined, but he never lost his grace, humor, and kindness. He was lucky because he truly enjoyed the little things in life: a good book, movies of all genres, the New York Times and New Yorker magazine, music, delicious food, and conversation.

A retired physician, he continued to help others late in life, even as he lost some of his mobility, by talking to and comforting other residents of his assisted living facility about their health concerns and end-of-life issues. He had a gift for making people feel special.

He was also hilarious and an author of several published books under the pen name Oscar London, including "Kill As Few Patients as Possible," "Take One as Needed," and "Dr. Generic Will See You Now." Among the nuggets of wit and wisdom in these books are: "If you think you're indispensable check your appointment book a week after you die," and "Death is very still, so keep moving." He also advised, "Stay away from restaurants with skinny chefs."

Arlan's parents were Harold Cohn and Lillian DeWoskin Cohn. They raised him in St. Louis, Missouri, where he loved looking after his brother, Bob, who was nine years younger. He and Bob shared the same sense of humor. Bob could make him laugh like no one else could.

Arlan graduated from University High School. He was a 1952 pre-med graduate of Washington University. In 1955, he married our mother, Joan Treiman, who helped keep his office in ship shape and edited several of his books to polished perfection. She passed away in March 2008.

Arlan began his medical education at the University of Missouri Medical School and went on to earn his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Iowa Medical School in 1956. Arlan served as an Army Captain in Okinawa. Afterwards, he and Joan moved to El Cerrito, California in the San Francisco Bay Area. Arlan practiced medicine as an internist in Berkeley for over 50 years. He was beloved by his patients.

Arlan continued writing into his late eighties. About five years ago, after surviving a life-threatening health crisis in the ICU, he wrote a fictional piece where, upon returning from the hospital, he found himself "transmogrified" into a small fish in the aquarium in the lobby of his assisted living facility (The Point at Rockridge). In the piece, he was given a second chance at life on "terra firma" after asking to return to his "simple three-numbered room (at The Point)" and shedding his "tiny, shiny blue and red scales."

In real life, he made the most of that second chance. He ordered up a walker in shiny blue and wrote a regular column for The Point. In 2019, he married Rohilah Guy who he met playing Bingo. They bonded over their mutual love of music and appreciation of art.

Arlan is survived by Rohilah, his two children (Ted Cohn and Jennifer Cohn), grandchildren (Haley and Sydney Cohn and Brandon and Ryan Dicke), and his brother (Robert Cohn). We will miss him and love him forever.

A private service is planned. Contributions in Arlan Cohn's memory may be made to Congregation Shaare Emeth, the St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, the Anti-Defamation League, or the charity of the donor's choice.