Benjamin Joseph Cohen

October 14, 1935 – January 1, 2026

With sadness and great respect, we announce the passing of Benjamin Joseph Cohen of Burlington, formerly of Lexington. The beloved patriarch of a large and close-knit family, Ben died peacefully on January 1, 2026, at the age of 90. His cherished wife Zelda (Bailey) Cohen passed in 2023.

Ben was born in Plymouth, a town never far from his heart. His parents Rose and Harry ran Cohen’s Store on Market Street, the hub of the neighborhood that welcomed people of modest means, providing many of the basics of everyday life.

Ben would often say that helping out in the store as a youngster and watching the way his parents treated everyone with respect, regardless of their station in life, formed his worldview. It was important to Ben to be honest, respectful, and fair to everyone.

Ben was an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Plymouth High School in 1953, where he shared the superlative of “most intelligent” with classmate Adele Vandini. A whiz with a slide rule, Ben went on to Tufts University and earned a B.S. in Mathematics.

One fateful summer, a family vacationing from Boston rented an apartment next door to the Cohen’s home in Plymouth. When Ben’s mom learned that it was a Jewish family with four daughters, she encouraged an introduction which eventually led to a match that bonded both families.

Ben and Zelda married in 1959. They raised four children and reveled as each found their own partner. Eight grandchildren would come to the family, each delighting Ben and Zelda beyond measure. In 2024, Ben was thrilled to become a great-grandfather.

After university, Ben became an optical analyst and software engineer in the early days of main-frame computer systems. He worked at EG&G, Philco Ford, and MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory. Later in his career, Ben was a partner in a start-up and then became a software consultant designing manufacturing control systems for technology companies.

From an early age, Ben enjoyed history. As a teen, he portrayed Mayflower passenger Edward Doty in the Pilgrim Progress reenactment in Plymouth. Later in life, after retiring from his day job, Ben adopted the persona of Paul Revere and led historic tours in Boston, Lexington, and Concord.

Ben was always involved in the communities around him. He was a scout leader, Town Meeting Member, chapter advisor for the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity at Tufts, and held many volunteer roles at Temple Emunah. When he moved to an assisted living facility, Ben quickly, and unsurprisingly, became its official “Ambassador” welcoming new residents and helping them integrate into the community. He loved wearing the “Ambassador” name tag every day.

Any life of 90 years will have moments of joy, success, and also hard times. Ben had it all. But when times were tough or he faced serious medical issues, he never gave up. He always dug in and pushed through right to the end. On the day before he died, Ben took physical therapy, trying to walk further than he had the previous day. His example remains an inspiration to family and friends.

Ben is survived by his sister Deborah, children Michael and his wife Theresa, Jeffrey and his wife Debbie, Robert and his wife Debbie, Laura and her husband Ron. Grandchildren Matthew and his wife WeiWei, Daniel and his fiancé Jackie, Frankie and his husband Mark, Joshua, Ethan and his partner Neeco, Alexander, Rachel, Elijah and his fiancé Rachel, and great-grandson Kai.

Ben is sorely missed by sisters-in-law Sandra and Carole, brothers-in-law Charles and Richard, an extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews, and many friends.

The funeral service for Ben will be held at Temple Emunah, 9 Piper Road in Lexington at 11 a.m. on Sunday January 4, followed by burial at the Beth Israel Cemetery, 232 Fuller Street in Everett.

The funeral service can be streamed live at this link: https://venue.streamspot.com/bdc9f380

Shiva and Minyan on Sunday, January 4 will begin at 6 p.m. at Temple Emunah.

Then on Monday January 5, through Thursday January 8, Shiva will be at the Atria Assisted Living Center, 42 Mall Road in Burlington from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with Minyan at 7:30 p.m. each day.