Sharyn Grace Cozzens

Sharyn Grace Kollander Cozzens (73) died in her most favorite place, at home, with her two beloved dogs on the evening of March 2, 2021. "KoCo," as she was known to her grandchildren, was born on June 3, 1947 in Stillwater, MN, to Melvin and Mary Lybarger Kollander, and big brother, Daryl. Her family moved to Albuquerque. NM and the mountains nearby when she was about two years old. Their family lived in Forest Park, with no indoor plumbing, and no well. The family went on to have four more children (Kris, Marc, Lisa, and Heidi)-so six total. Sharyn went to A.Montoya Elementary School in Tijeras, NM, and Manzano High School in Albuquerque. She was actively involved in church and helped take care of her siblings while their mother worked in the evenings. She worked at Bella Vista Restaurant near Cedar Crest, New Mexico in high school, and later met her one and only, Tom Cozzens, one night while working there. She went on to study education at the University of New Mexico. Immediately upon graduation on June 6, 1970, she married Tom and went on to get her Master’s degree. They moved to El Paso, TX in 1975 where they purchased a lovely little yellow house. Sharyn worked at Hawkins Elementary School in El Paso for a few years. She had her daughter, Alyssa Dawn, in 1977, and stayed home for six months. She went back to work at Cooley Elementary School where she happily remained teaching ESL and 1st grade with numerous amazing teachers who became her lifelong friends, until her retirement in 2010. Sharyn had many friends and spent her free time involved in church activities and transporting Alyssa to all her activities and events. Tom died suddenly in 2001. They were married 31 years at the time of his passing. The joy of KoCo's life came in 2008 and 2011 when her precious grandchildren, Charlie Tayden (12) and Audenn Elisabeth (10) were born. Sharyn sold her beloved little yellow house (that had had a few upgrades by now) and moved all the way to Iowa in 2019 to spend a year with Alyssa, Charlie, and Audenn. Deeply missing the mild weather of the Southwest, she moved back to El Paso in 2020, bought the cutest little house ever and made it her own.

Sharyn was an avid dog lover and had dogs throughout her life. She loved red and green and cutesy things, and she was comfortable in her own skin. Some highlights for her were trips to Alaska to see brother Daryl, and Germany to see Alyssa and family. What is most notable about Sharyn, is how she always surrounded herself with the very best people. Oh, how she loved her people and oh, how she loved to talk. Despite far more health challenges than any one person should have, and evading death numerous times, Sharyn's spirit and fight were happy and in tact always. They never faltered. She, like Tom, left us suddenly and unexpectedly, but it was how she wanted to go.

Sharyn was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Cozzens, parents, Melvin and Mary Kollander, in-laws, Genelle and Henry Schrader, and Jerry and Mabel Cozzens, niece, Andrea Kuckartz, and nephew, Jonathan Sturgeon.

Sharyn leaves behind her daughter, Alyssa Milne, two grandchildren, Charlie Milne (12) and Audenn Milne (10), three brothers-Daryl Kollander and his darling wife Ruth, Marc Kollander, and Kris Kollander, 2 sisters--Lisa Sturgeon and husband Kerry, and Heidi Kuckartz and husband Paul, numerous nieces and nephews, just so many beloved friends, two dogs, and a grand dog.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City, IA (1-800-648-6973, select UI Stead Family Children's Hospital Fund), or King's Harvest No Kill Pet Shelter (2504 W Central Park Ave., Davenport, IA, 52804).