Adeline F. Cohen's Obituary
Decatur – Adeline Fishman Cohen, 90, of Decatur, matriarch of 5 generations, passed away at 6:00 am Monday, July 27, 2009 at her residence.
Services to celebrate Adeline’s life will be held at 11:00 am Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home. Visitation will be held 2 hours prior to services at the funeral home. Interment will be held at Highland Lawn Cemetery in Terra Haute, Indiana. Memorial contributions may be sent to Migdal Ohr, 1560 Broadway, Suite 510, New York, NY, 10036, in care of Adeline F. Cohen. Online condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.gracelandfairlawn.com.
Adeline was born on December 20, 1918 in Terre Haute, the daughter of Isaac and Anna (Sylverman) Fishman. Adeline’s parents came to America from the Russian village of Terespol to escape the Jewish pogroms. Her parents settled in Terra Haute, Indiana with their three sons, Joseph, Isadore, and Jacob. There, they had three more children, Sylvia, Pearl, and Adeline, the baby of the family.
Known for her keen business sense and quick wit, Adeline moved to Chicago in her twenties. At twenty seven she met and married the love of her life, Mitchell Cohen. Adeline and Mitchell had two boys, Alvin (Decatur) and Jerry (Champaign), before moving to Tuscola, Illinois. In 1950 they opened Mitchell’s Department Store in downtown Tuscola. The family business was a success. Adeline and Mitchell ran it and raised their family in Tuscola for over thirty years. They were active in the Tuscola Downtown Business Association, and members of the Mattoon Jewish Center in Mattoon, Illinois.
After Mitchell passed away in 1979, Adeline moved to Peoria where she owned and operated a successful ladies clothing store downtown called Mademoiselle, while her son Jerry continued to manage Mitchell’s. Eventually retirement called and Adeline retired to Tucson, Arizona. Independent and active, Adeline traveled the world and even visited the former home of her parents in Russia. After moving back to Decatur to be near family, “Grandma Cohen”, could often be seen at her son Alvin’s restaurant, Gabby’s and endeared the hearts of many.
She was loved and will be missed by her two sons and their spouses Alvin and Donna Cohen, Jerry and Carol Cohen, her grandchildren Tricia (Mason) Armour, Tasha Cohen-Ziemer (JimMoore) and Joshua (Heather Green) Cohen, Ariella Cohen, Arianne Cohen, Abigail Cohen, her great grandchildren Stephanie Cohen, Sasha Hart, Bryant Hart, Isaac Ziemer, Kaden Cohen, and by her great-great grandchildren Ciara Cohen and Carlei Goyen. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and other loved ones who were by her side.
Adeline was preceded in death by her parents; Isaac and Anna Fishman, husband Mitchell, as well as her brothers and sisters, nephew Jim Fishman and great-great grandson Trenton Rowan.
Special thanks for Dr. Duncan, DMH Hospice, Bonnie, Doris, and O’dessa Armour for their caring love and attention. We will cherish the loving memories. Shalom Little Grandma. She is a woman of valor – Proverbs 31:10-31.
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