I stumbled across Mike's name this morning while researching an article on design thinking. It led from David Kelley to Herbert Simon, to our old dean, Jim March, and then to Mike. Seeing an end-date on his Wikipedia page caused an unpleasant double-take and a reminder of how mortal we all are.

In grad school, Mike always struck me as both focused and wide-ranging, and he took an appropriately avuncular attitude toward us younger students (younger by perhaps a year). He was actually very helpful, and I should have listened to his advice. He was among the few of use fortunate enough to meet his life partner, Hilary, while still young.

Please accept my condolences, and let the rest of us not lose touch with our old friends.

I just learned yesterday (4/5/13) of Michael's passing and was shocked and saddened.  We were roommates at Stanford for four quarters--two in Beutelsbach, Germany, at the Stanford overseas campus and two at Stanford.  The days in Germany were so enriched by his presence, and by the debates we had over existentialism and in general the meaning of life.  We were close friends who sadly lost touch over the last many years.  I would always hope he would be at a reunion so we could catch up.  He wrote for the Stanford Daily when I was working my way up to, and while I was, editor and his writing was always superb and thought provoking.  I would sum up his personality as a gentle intellectual, something captured well by the obituary.  He led just the life I would have predicted in 1963 and 1964.  A wonderful human being, he never in my presence uttered a negatively judgmental criticism of anyone.  Engaging and engaged, witty, curious and brilliant.  Even having been out of touch, I now miss him sorely.

I knew Mike when he was a Stanford student and part of our Stanford in Germany group, which studied in Beutelsbach, Germany in the last half of 1963. I remember his insatiable curiosity and his humor. He was always good for a heated discussion in the Ratskeller (the student pub). The group is holding a 50th reunion in Beutelsbach in August. Mike will be very much missed and often remembered. Our sincerest condolences to all his friends and family.

Muehlig Funeral Chapel

Michael Cohen

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Michael Cohen

22 March, 1945 – 2 February, 2013

Muehlig Funeral Chapel

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