Syma Cheris Cohn

Syma Cheris Cohn, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, died peacefully on March 22, 2022 in her Sarasota home after a long illness at age 89. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Dr. Jay N. Cohn, her children, Cynthia Cohn of San Francisco, Lauren Cohn of New Haven, Joshua Cohn of Miami, her grandchildren, Rachel Cohn, of New York City, Daniel Cohn of Miami, and Noah Cohn Ziff of New Haven, and her sister, Rosemary Littman of Teaneck.

Born in Albany, New York, Syma graduated from New York University in 1954 with a major in English.

She worked as a book editor in New York City and, following her young family’s move to suburban

Washington, D.C. in 1962, she did graduate work in art history at the University of Maryland. After

relocating to Minneapolis with her family in 1974, Syma wrote art reviews for a number of Twin Cities

publications, and became a poet, writer, and teacher. An active and dedicated member of the Twin

Cities literary and arts community, she was known for her intellect, warmth, sophistication, and curiosity

about the world and the lives of others. Her poetry was published in Milkweed Chronicle, Passager, and

The Sporting Life: American Poems About Sports and Games. Her art projects include her research

and production of a history of Minnesota WPA murals for Women’s Art Registry of Minnesota

Gallery (WARM) at the University of Minnesota, 1976-1977 titled Accomplishments: Minnesota Art Projects During the Depression Years. Syma served on the boards of The Loft and WARM Gallery. In addition, over her many years in Minneapolis, Syma also wrote art reviews for a number of Minneapolis publications, worked as a docent at Walker Art Center, worked in non-profit communications in support of the city’s arts, culture, and civic life, and was active in progressive political causes. She was a donor with her husband to the Minnesota Orchestra and to the St Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Syma wrote poetry about her personal and family history and relationships, the natural world,

experiences in foreign places and cultures, and the imagined lives of favorite artists and musicians,

including Matisse, Picasso, Francis Bacon, and Bartok. She was deeply devoted to her children and

grandchildren, and passionate about cultivating their interests in art, literature, language, history,

politics, and ideas. A world traveler with her husband, she loved special trips to great restaurants,

modernist design, Rookwood pottery, collecting art and photography, finishing the Sunday New York

Times crossword puzzle, and getting lost in bookstores.

A memorial service for Syma will begin at 10 AM on Sunday, March 27, 2022 at Robert Toale & Sons Funeral Home at Palms Memorial Park, 170 Honore Ave., Sarasota, FL 34232.