Jacob Julius Cohen

May 1, 1939 – February 9, 2026

Jacob Julius Cohen, our beloved father, grandfather, brother and friend, passed away on February 9, 2026 in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Jack was born on May 1, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York, to Lillie (Epstein) and Joe Cohen. He was the fourth of five children, big brother to his dear Paul and little brother to Lou, Renee and Arlene. He was a gifted storyteller and delighted in telling tales of his Brownsville neighborhood and the many extended family members and colorful characters he loved.

As a kid, Jack was drawn to electronics and went to the George Washington vocational technical high school in New York, where he gained a deep expertise in radio and television. He joined the Air Force in 1957 and worked as a radio operator in Morocco. Later, he had a successful career with IBM, where he excelled as an instructor.

Jack met his first wife, Carole, in the Catskills after his stint in the Air Force. They wed in 1963 and had two sons, David and Jon. The family moved frequently because of transfers with IBM, living in New York, New Jersey and Illinois before settling in Maryland in 1980. Jack and Carole got divorced and he married his beloved second wife, Kay, in 1993. Jack and Kay had a vibrant life together in Tacoma Park, Maryland, as they welcomed their daughters-in-law into the family and then their four adored grandchildren.

Kay passed away in 2014, leaving Jack heartbroken. But as was typical, Jack strove to find the joy in life. He moved into Riderwood, where he found a whole new community of friends. Always the ham and a master of the corny joke, Jack delighted in serving as the emcee of the Riderwood talent show, bringing down the house in 2025 with his jokes.

Jack reveled in his four grandkids, Michael, Alex, Brianna and Sam. They were his pride and joy. When they were young, he loved doing magic for them. A particular favorite was a little trick that made the little ones believe he could light up a finger. As they got older, Jack often expressed his pride and love for his family. A typical text to one of his daughters-in-law read, “I am truly blessed.”

Jack is survived by sons David (Sandy) Makogon and Jon (Kristin) Cohen, brother Lou Cohen, and his grandchildren Michael (Vanessa), Alex and Brianna Makogon and Sam Cohen, as well as many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity that was very close to Jack’s heart as he was a proud veteran of the US Air Force.

https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/