Fred C. Cohen

Fred C. Cohen, a spirited real estate lawyer whose five decades of work shaped South Florida’s economy and property dealings, and even more so the lives of his loved ones, died on Tuesday at his home in Singer Island. He was 83.

Mr. Cohen was instrumental to the founding of Cohen Norris Wolmer Ray Telepman Berkowitz & Cohen, the law firm representing prominent Palm Beach County real estate deals, including serial sales of Boca Raton’s IBM center, with a team of over 20 lawyers today.

In 2023, he was honored by the Florida Bar Association as a practicing attorney member for 50 years, and he was indelible in his vigor to continue work despite battling illness in recent years. “Fred’s favorite thing to do was work a room and make a deal,” his wife Myrna said.

David Norris entered the firm shortly after its genesis, and for decades was a loyal partner; they managed the venture together with love, respect, and trust. Mr. Cohen was seen as a

mentor to many in the firm, once stepping in to walk a colleague down the aisle, but only gave that chance to those he deemed “the best.”

Mr. Cohen celebrated his 57th anniversary with Myrna last week. The two met on a blind date in 1969 and were married within six months. She called him Chatty because he talked a lot––but it was alright, because she was a self-proclaimed listener in return. They travelled the world together, including to Antarctica.

Yet for all his time spent in the office at Cohen Norris, Mr. Cohen was a perennial presence at every grandchild’s dance recital, soccer or softball game, often still in his trademark pressed suit. He himself was a jack of all trades; as a child, he loved baseball, and as an adult veered more towards tennis and golf, playing with the same group of friends for 30 years. He was known as Pagra, a moniker bestowed by his grandchildren, to some, and Freddy to others.

Fred Clinton Cohen was born on July 27, 1943 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to mother Anne and father Hymie Cohen, a salesman. He also had a sister, Sandy.

Mr. Cohen received a Bachelor’s in English from the University of California Los Angeles in 1965 and a J.D. from the University of Kentucky School of Law in 1968. He went on to work at the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County. Then, he moved to Florida to work as in house counsel for real estate developer Stanley J. Harte, developing shopping center expertise. From there, he joined the DeSantis, Cook, Meehan and Cohen law firm. In the ‘70s, the Cohen Norris law firm was founded, and is still active today. Mr. Cohen was also a driving force in establishing Palm Beach Garden’s Temple Beth David in 1975.

He is survived by his wife, Myrna, his sons Greg, Bryan, and Todd, daughters-in-law Randi, Karen, Erica and grandchildren Alexandra, Samantha, Lucas, Asia, Gabrielle, Emma.

At Cohen Norris, he worked alongside one of his sons, Greg. His son, Todd, spent many years at the firm specializing in real estate. In addition, he worked with his son, Bryan, in shopping center enterprises. The three remembered their father through stories of broken toes, theater shows at the Kravis Center, Steelers football games, trips to Naples––and above all, his keenness to be a north star for those in his orbit

A Funeral Service will be held at IJ Morris at Star of David of the Palm Beaches, 9321 Memorial Park Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33412, US, on September 6, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, followed by a Committal Service at the same location.