Brenda Markey Cohn

Born on November 22, 1951, Brenda spent nearly her entire life in and around Jacksonville, Florida. She attended Florida State University, where she studied music and trained as a singer, and later spent time student teaching in Sarasota before returning to the Jacksonville area to begin a lifelong career in music education.

Brenda devoted her life to sharing music with others. Over the course of her career she taught music and chorus to students from elementary through high school, inspiring generations of young musicians with her enthusiasm, talent, and deep love of song. Her passion for music extended far beyond the classroom. She served as the Music Director of St. Giles Presbyterian Church from its founding until her retirement in 2018, shaping the church’s musical life and helping to build a community through music and worship.

She was also deeply involved with the Orange Park Community Theatre, where she performed in and music directed numerous productions over several decades. Her dedication to the theatre community eventually led her to serve as President of the organization, and she remained a beloved figure among its performers and audiences alike.

Outside of her professional life, Brenda found joy in stories and laughter. She was an avid reader of mystery novels and a devoted fan of classic television sitcoms from the 1960s, as well as Murder, She Wrote and the original Matlock—Andy Griffith always reminded her fondly of her father. She had a quick and joyful heart, easily moved to tears by happiness, and almost always had a song on the tip of her tongue, ready to slip out wherever she happened to be.

Brenda was also an enthusiastic technophile and lifelong early adopter, always encouraging her family to explore and embrace new technologies long before they became commonplace.

In recent years she bravely faced Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that had taken both her mother and grandmother in their later years. One of the bright moments in those years came when she was able to meet and take a photograph with one of her childhood heroes, Carol Burnett—a moment that brought her great joy.

Brenda was predeceased by her parents, Sylvia and Carl Markey. She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Steve Cohn; her sons, Robert and Carl Cohn; her daughters-in-law Jody and Amanda Cohn; and her cherished grandchildren, Kyler, Cameron, Remy, and Athena Cohn.

She will be deeply missed by her family, her church community, the many students she taught, her fellow performers and collaborators, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her life was filled with music, laughter, and generosity of spirit, and those who loved her will carry her song forward.