UN MESSAGE DE LA FAMILLE
Helen “Lee” Cohenour
Entered in Eternal Rest on Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Helen "Lee" Justine Cohenour, 92, of Riverside California, formerly of Cleveland Ohio, passed away from natural causes on Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at Raincross at Riverside Retirement Community.
Born on November 22, 1929 to Frank Pawlak and Julia Konopacka. She spent her childhood and youth in one home at 4544 Fulton Road, Cleveland Ohio.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Louis Lavern Cohenour (1998), seven older siblings, and her best friend, Delores Olson.
She is survived by 5 children: Cindy Rungo (spouse Gary Rungo) of Riverside California, Michael Cohenour of Rome, New York, Stacy Cohenour of Moreno Valley California, Christopher Cohenour of Riverside California, and Sally Cohenour-Kerl (spouse Brian Kerl) of Carlsbad, California. Her 9 grandchildren: Lisa (spouse Isaac), Artie (spouse Bonnie), Cassidy, Kyle, Kasey (spouse Tabitha), Travis (spouse Nicole), Nicholas (girlfriend Alana), C.J. (girlfriend Claudia), and Bri (girlfriend Julianna). Her 8 great-grandchildren: Ione, Jovie, Zeke, Zoe, Scottie, Kanden, Karsen, and Hunter. She has one surviving brother, Martin Pawlak and many other family members and friends.
Career:
• Joined the Air Force during the Korean War, as she wanted to travel and was the first female air traffic controller at March Air Force Base; Staff Sergeant Regular Air Force; served 5 years in the US Air Force. She loved the challenges she had to face and at times, felt invincible! She would proudly state that they wanted only men for her position, but she was determined to succeed and would study for the Air Traffic Controller exam while under the bedsheets and with a flashlight. She earned $75 per month and could call home once a month if she was fortunate.
She saved a jet fighter aircraft with gear problems from crashing. There were two posts in the control tower and her partner had fallen asleep at his post and when she looked out of his window, she saw the plane without its landing gear and instructed him to fly around until his landing gear was appropriate. She stated that she was so nervous as the supervisors came up the 89 stairs because the pilot insisted that she was wrong, but she persisted because she knew she had to do the right thing.
She flew all over the U.S. in many different airplanes (B-25, B-29, C-47 and a T-33), although when she was instructed to jump out of one of them, she defied the orders because she was terrified. Luckily, the plane was able to land safely.
Personal achievements:
She was a mother, homemaker to 5 children, grandmother of 9 and great grandmother of 8 (with one more on the way).She rescued a woman at Huntington Beach caught in a riptide, following this event, she never went back into the ocean claiming to not be a very good swimmer! She attended ALL of her children’s sporting and school events. Many times using binoculars to see all of the action. She drove a Harley Davidson motorcycle at the age of 13 and almost hit a horse in the park. While in the Air Force, she met the love of her life, husband in the Air Force, married 46 years. She was an excellent bowler, even into her later years. She loved dancing and would dance whenever the mood would hit her. She volunteered at the Goeske Senior Center in her 80’s. She had a spectacular 90th birthday party at March Airforce base and was featured on their Facebook.
Services be held Wednesday, March 9th, 2022 (11:30 a.m.) at Acheson & Graham Mortuary, 7944 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA 92504 AND Internment (1:30 p.m.) at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, CA 92518
AVIS DE DÉCÈS
Helen "Lee" Justine Cohenour
22 novembre 1929 – 26 janvier 2022
AUX SOINS DE
Helen "Lee" Justine Cohenour, age 92, of Riverside, California passed away on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Helen "Lee" was born November 22, 1929 in Cleveland, Ohio.
A Celebration of Life for Helen "Lee" will be held Wednesday, March 9, 2022 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Acheson & Graham Garden of Prayer Mortuary, 7944 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504. Following the viewing will be a graveside service from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, CA 92518.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AchesonandGraham.com for the Cohenour family.
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