Philip
Philip Cohen
COHEN
A great patriarch left this world today, Thursday, June 21, 2007 at 2:15 A.M. Philip Cohen was long-time president of The Iron Shop by M. Cohen & Sons, inc. in Broomall PA, which completed such notable jobs as the stained glass and stainless steel wall for the United Nations Chapel, fabricating custom parts for the first Apollo space craft, and building the spiral staircase for the first double-decker Boeing 747 mock-up. At the time of his passing, at age 80, he was surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren. Philip Cohen lost a valiant battle to recover from 12 hour surgery on April 20th to rid his body of bile duct cancer.
Philip was born on June 29, 1926, in Philadelphia to Esther and Max Cohen, immigrants from Russia who came to seek opportunity in America during the Depression. Max, Philip's father, brought with him the skills and talents he had mastered in the old country, of a mechanic and a blacksmith. As a little boy Phil remembered traveling beside his dad lugging a heavy bag of tools from door to door doing fix it jobs. As time passed, customers began coming to the Cohen's home for repairs, so many so that The Cohens had to create a larger facility at 888 North 40th Street in Philadelphia. In 1966, Philip with his brother, David, built and moved to an even larger facility, at 400 Reed Rd. in Broomall.
Until his passing Phil had been the President of the company his family started, The Iron Shop by M. Cohen and Sons inc., for the past 27 years. Through hard work and entrepreneurship he grew his small shop in Broomall PA, into an innovative industry leader with a nationwide customer base. As his family grew, most of them joined in helping grow the business. Phil has, along with his sons, nephews, grandsons, and countless loyal and skilled employees, led the expansion of the business into the production of stainless steel grab bars for every federally specified rail-car in the United States, nationwide sale and distribution of spiral staircase kits, and high end architectural products (as exemplified in the recent fabri-cation and installation for the Modern, the restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City).
Until the onset of Phil's illness, he was at work every day (six days a week), lovingly driving the business forward. He was never too busy to help other inventors and entrepreneurs who walked into the shop with an idea that could and has helped move progress. He taught metal sculpting classes twice a week in the evening for many years. And even though the business had become very technical, Philip loved the human touch. He would stop whatever he was working on at any time to repair a table, a chair, a dented hubcap, or a broken toy.
Philip Cohen loved people, and he loved life. He was a private pilot for over 60 years and has owned a variety of small aircraft; regularly played racquetball, swam and had a side car motorcycle in his garage. He and his wife Lillian of 60 years lived life to the fullest together and had many close friends. Philip worked and enjoyed a complete life until he became ill. He celebrated his 80th Birthday last year with many of his countless friends and family. He had "no regrets" and no plans for retirement. He was 80, going on 50. Phil was a very special person to many people, and will be greatly missed. He leaves behind his wife Lillian (Pollin) Cohen; sons, Stanley (wife Alice), Allen (wife Susan), Richard (wife Renee); daughter, Esther (husband Gregg Eskin); grand-children, Robert (wife Robin), Brian (wife Jessica), Melanie, Nick, Hailey, Alec, Barry, Ben, Sofia, Emily, Jessa, Anika, and hundreds of very close friends and beloved employees. Funeral Services will be held Friday at 12 Noon at Har Zion Temple, 1500 Hagys Ford Rd., Penn Valley. Interment will be at Mount Sharon Cemetery, Springfield Rd., Springfield. Shiva will be at Lillian's house Saturday evening at sundown. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
A great patriarch left this world today, Thursday, June 21, 2007 at 2:15 A.M. Philip Cohen was long-time president of The Iron Shop by M. Cohen & Sons, inc. in Broomall PA, which completed such notable jobs as the stained glass and stainless steel wall for the United Nations Chapel, fabricating custom parts for the first Apollo space craft, and building the spiral staircase for the first double-decker Boeing 747 mock-up. At the time of his passing, at age 80, he was surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren. Philip Cohen lost a valiant battle to recover from 12 hour surgery on April 20th to rid his body of bile duct cancer.
Philip was born on June 29, 1926, in Philadelphia to Esther and Max Cohen, immigrants from Russia who came to seek opportunity in America during the Depression. Max, Philip's father, brought with him the skills and talents he had mastered in the old country, of a mechanic and a blacksmith. As a little boy Phil remembered traveling beside his dad lugging a heavy bag of tools from door to door doing fix it jobs. As time passed, customers began coming to the Cohen's home for repairs, so many so that The Cohens had to create a larger facility at 888 North 40th Street in Philadelphia. In 1966, Philip with his brother, David, built and moved to an even larger facility, at 400 Reed Rd. in Broomall.
Until his passing Phil had been the President of the company his family started, The Iron Shop by M. Cohen and Sons inc., for the past 27 years. Through hard work and entrepreneurship he grew his small shop in Broomall PA, into an innovative industry leader with a nationwide customer base. As his family grew, most of them joined in helping grow the business. Phil has, along with his sons, nephews, grandsons, and countless loyal and skilled employees, led the expansion of the business into the production of stainless steel grab bars for every federally specified rail-car in the United States, nationwide sale and distribution of spiral staircase kits, and high end architectural products (as exemplified in the recent fabri-cation and installation for the Modern, the restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City).
Until the onset of Phil's illness, he was at work every day (six days a week), lovingly driving the business forward. He was never too busy to help other inventors and entrepreneurs who walked into the shop with an idea that could and has helped move progress. He taught metal sculpting classes twice a week in the evening for many years. And even though the business had become very technical, Philip loved the human touch. He would stop whatever he was working on at any time to repair a table, a chair, a dented hubcap, or a broken toy.
Philip Cohen loved people, and he loved life. He was a private pilot for over 60 years and has owned a variety of small aircraft; regularly played racquetball, swam and had a side car motorcycle in his garage. He and his wife Lillian of 60 years lived life to the fullest together and had many close friends. Philip worked and enjoyed a complete life until he became ill. He celebrated his 80th Birthday last year with many of his countless friends and family. He had "no regrets" and no plans for retirement. He was 80, going on 50. Phil was a very special person to many people, and will be greatly missed. He leaves behind his wife Lillian (Pollin) Cohen; sons, Stanley (wife Alice), Allen (wife Susan), Richard (wife Renee); daughter, Esther (husband Gregg Eskin); grand-children, Robert (wife Robin), Brian (wife Jessica), Melanie, Nick, Hailey, Alec, Barry, Ben, Sofia, Emily, Jessa, Anika, and hundreds of very close friends and beloved employees. Funeral Services will be held Friday at 12 Noon at Har Zion Temple, 1500 Hagys Ford Rd., Penn Valley. Interment will be at Mount Sharon Cemetery, Springfield Rd., Springfield. Shiva will be at Lillian's house Saturday evening at sundown. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
JOSEPH LEVINE and SON
www.levinefuneral.com
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