Alvin Sumner Cohen

Alvin Sumner Cohen, 101, of Lincoln, MA, formerly of Boynton Beach, FL, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Beloved husband of Devara Birger Cohen, with whom he shared 79 years of marriage. Born in Brookline, MA, he was a son of the late A. Paul Cohen and Helen Cohen.

Alvin graduated from MIT in 1945 and served in the Navy during his college years until the end of WWII. He had a long career in menswear manufacturing, including founding Alvin Knitting Mills. After the company became part of Campus Sweater and Sportswear, he rose to executive vice president and travelled all over the world in this role, establishing new factories. He and Devara later retired to Boynton Beach, FL, where they lived for over 30 years. Alvin found opportunities to serve his community wherever he lived. He moved back to Lincoln, MA in 2022 where, in The Commons in Lincoln assisted living community, he was actively engaged as a member of the council which was working on bridging the gaps between independent, assisted living and memory care. He founded and led a discussion group of residents and also a book group. He volunteered his time to help raise money for the staff.

In addition to his cherished wife, Devara, he also leaves behind his devoted children: His son, Mark William Cohen and daughter-in-law Jennifer S. Daly, and his daughter Nancy Cohen Miller and son-in-law David R. Miller. He also leaves his treasured grandchildren: Andrew Paul Cohen and his wife Arielle P. Miles, Natalie L. Cohen and her husband Samuel Shoutis, Lawrence Gregory Miller and his wife Beatriz Pascual Macias, and Brett Joseph Miller and his wife Jamie Porter Miller. He was lucky to have lived long enough to know his six great-grandchildren: Kira Elizabeth Shoutis, Isabelle Cohen Shoutis, Ezra Simon Miles-Cohen, Aviva Rosalie Miles-Cohen, Summer Isla Miller and Isaac Nicolas Pascual-Miller.

A graveside service for Alvin will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, July 17, 2026, at Lindwood Memorial Park, 490 North Street, Randolph, MA.

Memorial gathering observance will be held on Sunday, July 19, from 3:30 to 6:00 PM at the home of Mark and Jennifer.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Alvin’s honor may be made to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PO Box 412926, Boston, MA 02241-2926 or online at https://giving.mit.edu