Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen, 50, of East Stroudsburg, passed away at home, in his sleep on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, after a 10 year battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his beloved fur-babies Leon and Red. He was born on April 21, 1966 in Manhattan, New York, the son of Mel Cohen and the late Mary Cohen.

Michael was a loving son, beyond amazing brother, and the greatest uncle who loved us as if we were his own. Michael was very family oriented. His family meant the world to him and he could not have been more proud of them. Michael’s greatest accomplishment in life was being an amazing dad to his fur-babies.

Most recently Michael volunteered at Pocono Medical Center, to whom he was a great service. Prior to his illness Michael was employed by Prudential Insurance Agency in Morristown NJ, he volunteered on the ambulance squad for many years, and he proudly volunteered for NJ Pride for 25 years. Michael was a Pastafarian Minister from the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (yes, seriously), and a member of AARP.

Michael was a sweet and gentle man who always put others before himself, his laugh was infectious and his smile was amazing. He was always there with a listening ear, no matter what time of day or night. Michael loved spending time with his family and many friends. He could have won an award for “loudest snorer in the world”. He was a big kid at heart with a unique sense of humor, he loved to joke around and make others laugh. Michael and his brother-in-law Glenn had a special bond, they gave each other nicknames “Mikey from Nike” and “Glennith from Quasar TV”, (Mike never worked for Nike and Glenn never worked for Quasar, they shared the same weird sense of humor) the nicknames stuck for over 30 years. Michael was ever forgiving and never held a grudge, even when his sister accidentally gave him a reverse mohawk (Oops). His niece once charged him with DUIC (driving under the influence of cataracts) after he accidentally drove his car through some grass in a parking lot and needed her assistance to get out. Michael and his nephew “Joshman” shared a love for roller coasters (and apparently eating flies) one day while on a ride at Dorney Park they were having such a good time laughing up a storm that they both accidentally ate a fly, but it turned into a funny story and made the ride that much better.

Michael was beyond strong and never gave up hope, he truly appreciated all the beautiful things that life had to offer. Some of Michael’s favorite things included: going out to eat, playing vintage video games and watching old sitcoms like I love Lucy and The Three Stooges. He loved his Honda Fit and proudly bragged about its 10 cup holders. Michael was a bargain shopper who could not pass up a good deal. He was a roller coaster fanatic, who traveled all over the country with friends visiting many amusement parks for the thrill of the ride. His favorite place on Earth was Disney World. He loved Mickey Mouse and anything Disney. Michael collected Mickey Mouse memorabilia, Vintage Bell telephones, as well as Atari and Nintendo games.

Preceding him in death, in addition to his mother, were his paternal grandparents: Ruth and George Cohen, maternal grandparents: Jenny and Michael Gargano, fur-babies: Rocky, Ruth, Naomi and Baby, and his very good friend of 40 years Mrs. Ray.

Those left to cherish his memory include his father: Melvin Cohen; sister: Kim Catalano and husband Glenn, of Marshalls Creek; niece: Meghan Catalano and fiancé Tyler Reddick, of Marshalls Creek; nephew: Joshua Catalano and partner, Curtis Silverwood, of West Chester, PA and his beloved fur-babies: Red and Leon.

There will be a memorial service held at 3:00 pm Wednesday, August 24, 2016 at Lanterman & Allen Funeral Home, Inc. Located at 27 Washington Street, East Stroudsburg PA 18301. Visitation with the family will be from 1:00 pm until the time of the service. Please bring a written memory to share. Cremation was private. Inurnment will take place at Prospect Cemetery, East Stroudsburg, at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Seer Farms, PO Box 91, Jackson, NJ 08527. A nonprofit, people centered animal sanctuary, who keeps people and their animals together as a family during difficult times.

A special thank you to Michael’s medical team: DaVita Dialysis; Dr. Casale; Dr. Dalal; Dr. Ryan; Dr. Santiago; and all others who were involved in his care.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Lanterman & Allen Funeral Home, Inc. 27 Washington Street, East Stroudsburg.