Murray Cohen

Murray Cohen died peacefully at his home on Monday morning, April 29. Sharon — his wife and best friend — was by his side, as she has been for the last 63 years. Murray was born on February 22, 1932, in Harlem, New York. He grew up in Harlem and the Bronx. Murray graduated from Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx at age 16. Murray was a gifted baseball player. He was the third baseman and leadoff hitter for his high school baseball team. In 1948, Murray and his teammates won the New York City championship. Their reward was to play an exhibition game against the New York Yankees in Yankee Stadium. On the game’s first pitch, Murray was hit in the knee on a pitch from Yankees pitcher Allie Reynolds — who, coincidentally, was from Oklahoma. Murray earned a tryout with the Chicago White Sox, though a hunting accident that nearly cost him his right foot ended that chapter. Immediately after high school, Murray left New York City for Norman, Oklahoma to attend the University of Oklahoma because it was the least expensive school where he could earn a pharmacy degree. He was the first person in his family to attend college. After graduating in 1953 with a B.S. in Pharmacy, Murray served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S Army. Though trained as forward observer for the Korean War, he served his tour of duty as the Chief Hospital Administrator of the U.S. Army hospital in Nuremberg, Germany, during the Nuremberg War Trials. After he was discharged, Murray returned to Norman to attend OU Law School, where he graduated with a J.D. in 1959. Murray served in the U.S Army Reserves until 1961. Murray practiced law from 1959 until 2000 or so, and he continued to counsel friends and clients for years after that. He earned recognition nationally in the 1970s and 1980s as a gifted turnaround artist, reorganizing distressed businesses. He took great pride in the fact that, while creditors in most Chapter 11 reorganizations received less than five cents on the dollar, the average return to creditors in Murray’s reorganizations was 125%. Steve Goldstone, a legal opponent and famous creditors’ attorney with a prestigious Wall Street law firm and, later, CEO of RJ Reynolds, proclaimed that Murray Cohen out of Oklahoma City was the most talented Chapter 11 reorganization specialist he ever had encountered. During the 1980s when the infamous Penn Square Bank collapse resulted in several of the largest national banks failing and tens of 1000s of insolvencies, Mark Singer of the New York Times and Phil Zweig of the Wall Street Journal wrote “Funny Money” and “Belly UP,” both #1 on the NY Times best seller lists for several months. Both authors relied heavily on Murray to explain what actually had happened and quoted Murray often. William Seidman then Chairman of the FDIC adopted Murray’s plan to avoid further bank and S&L failures. In addition to a keen business mind, Murray was also an exceptional litigator and trial attorney. He prosecuted some of the earliest class actions in Oklahoma’s courts including the representation of 100s of modest homeowners suffering from contaminated water and air against one of the nation’s largest oil companies. He won what was then the largest federal court jury verdict in Oklahoma history—and he won it twice. He eventually sued then-President Obama for alleged unconstitutional acts and published a book about it. Murray enjoyed and excelled at many things. He loved sailboats and sailing. He loved riding the biggest motorcycles. He was an excellent polo player. He was so talented that he was the only player on the national Norman team allowed to play without his own string of polo ponies. He thrived on beating opponents in racquetball while standing in the middle of the court smoking Camels. He enjoyed golf and bow hunting. He loved working the land outside of Midwest City with his lifelong friend, Dr. Royce Hinkle. Murray especially loved driving fast European sports cars. In the late 1950s, before he could scrape together rent for an apartment, Murray owned a two-seater Alfa Romeo that later sold at the Meacum auction for over $500,000. Murray was a devoted and loyal friend. He enjoyed several lifelong friendships, some of which spanned over 60 years. In the 1970s, Murray earned personal recognition from Golda Meir, thenPrime Minister of Israel, and from Edmund Rothschild for Murray’s significant contributions to the State of Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War and for helping Israel solve certain acute economic and energy challenges in the war’s aftermath. Spain’s Minister of Defense and Minister of Agriculture consulted with Murray on financing for an entirely new planned agro-petro community affordable for thousands of Spanish workers. Murray is survived by Sharon, his devoted and loving wife of 63 years; by his sons, Mark (Catherine) and Michael (Jennifer); and by his four grandchildren — Eli, Jack, Caroline, and Sophia. Murray adored his grandchildren and bragged about them constantly. His family was the only thing Murray loved more than this country or its Constitution. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Jimmy and Farida Kamami and to Lisa Norwood. Their wisdom, extraordinary patience, and loving kindness provided Murray with dignity and pleasure in his final weeks. Graveside services will be held 10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 2, 2024 at Emanuel Hebrew Cemetery, 10600 S Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73170. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Emanuel Synagogue in Oklahoma City (www.emanuelokc.org), to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN (www.stjude.org), or to a charity of your choice.