Individual Details

Death

Shirley "Shandle" Rubenstein Cohen, 93, died (Friday, December 2nd) at Hospice By The Sea - an organization to which Shirley dedicated much of her adult life as a founding volunteer of the family bereavement group. She was a fierce friend and taught her family how to live life with great intensity, fervor, and love. She was a strong supporter of civil rights, women's equality and mental health causes, often referring to herself as "ahead of her time." Always exuding warmth and a nurturing spirit, Shirley was committed to helping others and raising her family. Shirley was a lifelong volunteer working with psychiatric patients at the VA hospital in New York and then leading counseling and bereavement groups at Hospice in Florida. She had a no-nonsense style that made her an exceptional counselor and advisor who helped numerous people through the most difficult of times. She was the fifth of six (6) children born to immigrant parents in Boston. Shirley met her husband, Alvin, while boating on a lake in New Hampshire. He lied about his age to impress her, which he did; they were married seventy years. They moved from West Newton, Mass. to Long Island, then to South Florida in the mid 1970's, ultimately settling in Boca Raton. Shirley was an avid tennis player, golfer, and bridge player, but her real passion was her family. She was a true homemaker who enjoyed cooking and baking, at which she excelled. Shirley Cohen is survived by her husband, Alvin, her children Dr. Sheila Furr (Robert) of Boca Raton, and Dr. Robert Cohen (Audrey) of Muttontown, New York; nephew Dr. Richard Tobin (Janet); four grandchildren Jodi Colton (Andrew), Dr. Brian Cohen (Jenn), Jill Zarin (David), and Jessica Furr; and eight great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by sisters Pearl, Bertha, Selma, and Leona, and brother Herbert. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice by the Sea, Boca Raton, www.hbts.org or 5300 East Ave. West Palm Beach, Fl. 33407
Published in Sun-Sentinel on Dec. 4, 2016