A Life in Public Service: “Civic Giant” Larry Cohen (’57) Passes Away at Age 83
Lawrence D. “Larry” Cohen (’57), former mayor of St. Paul, chairman of the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, and chief judge of the Ramsey County District Court—the only person ever to have held all three of those positions—died Sept. 11 at his home in St. Paul, surrounded by his family. The cause was lung cancer, diagnosed three weeks before his death.
Born and raised in St. Paul, Cohen graduated from Central High School and earned both his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Minnesota. After working in private practice for a number of years, Cohen was elected to a seat on the Ramsey County Board in 1970. Just two years later, he was elected mayor of St. Paul. He served two terms and is credited for bringing the city’s organization, administration, budgeting, and neighborhood development into the modern era. He returned to private practice in 1976, remaining there until his appointment to the Ramsey County District Court bench in 1988, where he eventually became chief judge and served until his retirement in 2002. Cohen also served on the Metropolitan Airports Commission for 11 years, advocated for environmental causes, and spearheaded the preservation and renovation of St. Paul’s old federal courthouse, the striking Romanesque Revival building known since 1978 as the Landmark Center.
“To be the leader of county government, city government, and the judiciary is a hell of a record of accomplishment for one person,” current St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman (’87) told the Pioneer Press.
In an editorial, the Minneapolis Star Tribune said that to each of his posts in public life Cohen “brought wit, grace, deft administration, and a commitment to racial and gender inclusivity…. Cohen was a career public servant but not a career politician. He did not seek reelection in 1976. Friends say he especially loved being a judge, a role that allowed him to strive to improve lives, case by case.”
Among Cohen’s many honors and accolades were the Trial Court Judge of the Year Award (1995) and the Minnesota District Judges Association Community Service Award (1997). He served on numerous nonprofit boards, including those of the Jewish Community Center, the Urban League, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
Cohen is survived by his wife, Kathi; children Sam, Chuck, Amy, Scott, and David; stepchildren Ryan Hawn and Janel Golden; two grandchildren; and four stepgrandchildren. His funeral service was held Sept. 13 at Temple of Aaron Synagogue in St. Paul. Memorials are preferred to the Larry Cohen Leadership Development Fund, c/o the St. Paul JCC, 1375 St. Paul Ave., St. Paul 55116, or the Judge Larry Cohen Recognition Project, c/o North East Neighborhoods Development Corp., 1321 White Bear Ave, St. Paul 55106.
