Zelda Cohen

With deep sadness and an equal measure of love reflecting her long and impactful life, we announce the passing of Zelda (Bailey) Cohen, recently of Burlington MA, and formerly for decades, of Lexington, MA.

A beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend, Zelda died peacefully on August 19, 2023, at the age of 85.

Zelda is survived by her husband of nearly 64 years, Benjamin, her children Michael and his wife Theresa, Jeffrey and his wife Debbie, Robert and his wife Deborah, Laura and her husband Ron. Grandchildren Matthew and his wife WeiWei, Daniel, Frankie and his fiancée Mark, Joshua, Ethan, Alexander, Elijah and Rachel. Her sisters Sandra and Carole, brothers-in-law Charles and Richard, sister-in-law Deborah and her partner Bob, and an extended family of cousins and three-generations of nieces and nephews who were never far from her heart.

Zelda dearly missed her sister Dorothy, who passed in 2021.

Zelda was born in Boston, the eldest of four daughters, to Frances and Sam Bailey. The family lived in the Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston and Zelda graduated from the Jeremiah E. Burke High School. After high school, her family moved to Brookline, MA, setting down roots in a two-family home that became a revered multi-generational homestead that anchored the extended family.

One fateful summer vacation, Sam and Frances rented an apartment next to the Cohen family home in Plymouth, MA. When Ben’s mom learned that a Jewish family with four daughters was vacationing next door, she encouraged an introduction that would eventually lead to a match and bond both families. Ben and Zelda married in 1959.

For Zelda, family was paramount and friends became extended family. She was a modern matriarch who bridged generational norms, carrying on traditions of family and faith, while evolving with an open mind and inclusive heart. She enjoyed the theater, fine music, mahjong, good books and great food. She was a stalwart member of the sisterhood at Temple Emunah and a beloved aide at Harrington Elementary School, both in Lexington.

The funeral service for Zelda will be held at Temple Emunah, 9 Piper Road in Lexington, MA at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday August 22, followed by burial at the Beth Israel Cemetery, 232 Fuller Street in Everett, MA.

Shiva will be the Atria Assisted Living Center, 42 Mall Road, Burlington, MA at

at the following times:

• Tuesday, August 22, 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. with Minyan at 7:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, August 23, 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. with Minyan at 7:30 p.m.

• Thursday, August 24, 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. with Minyan at 7:30 p.m.

Shiva will also be held at her sister Sandra’s home in Brockton, MA on Thursday, August 24, from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.