Obituary of Cleopatra Cohn

A Beautiful Life Cleopatra Elaine Evans Cohn was born on March 1, 1917 in Memphis, Tennessee. Her parents, Charles Evans and Phoebe Ann Rhodes Evans welcomed her with joy and lavished love and attention on her until their deaths. An only child, "Cleo", as she was affectionately called, had a wonderful childhood. She attended Memphis Public Schools and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. She entered LeMoyne College in Memphis, Tennessee and attended there until she decided to do something a little different. An adventurous spirit led her to leave college just a few months shy of graduation and join the Women's Auxiliary Army Corp during the 2nd World War. She told the story of being accepted to Officer Training School, but having her orders changed right before she was to leave for the training. She "cried, kicked and screamed all the way up the gang plank of the QE II" telling whoever would listen that they had it wrong. She was supposed to go to OTS, not Europe where the war was raging. But Uncle Sam would have it no other way and she sailed to England. She was a member of the 6888th Battalion Postal Unit and was the company's Giarm (flag bearer). She said it occurred to her after she got the position that if they had to go into battle, she would be the first one to die! As fate would have it, while stationed in Rouen, France, she had a chance meeting with a dashing young soldier named Joseph Richard Clifton Cohn who was from Marianna, Arkansas. They had grown up fifty miles from each other but had come to Europe to meet. After the war's end, they married in Memphis on March 2, 1946. Their 40 year union ended upon Joseph's death on April 26, 1986. A planned move of the family from Memphis to California with their children at the time, Connie Rose and Joseph, Jr. ended in Tulsa where a job opportunity quickly presented itself to Joseph. The youngest child, Clifton, was born in Tulsa. They remained here for the rest of their lives. They became members of Vernon A.M.E. Church in September of 1952. Cleopatra had been an A.M.E. all her life having started giving her service to God at St. Andrews A.M.E. Church in Memphis. There she was a pianist and played for the junior choir. Her service at Vernon was nothing short of exemplary and extraordinary, and she served faithfully until her health failed in July of 2013. She served as church organist and pianist, directed the Cherub, Ben Hill, and Junior Choirs and was accompanist for the Senior and Gospel Choirs. In addition, she served as the Conference Director of Music for the Central Northeast Oklahoma Annual Conference in 1992 and 1995 and the CNEOK Conference Radio Ministry in 1993. This musical legacy lasted for more than 60 years. She also used her musical talent in service to Senior Citizens living in nursing homes as a member of a musical combo that would perform music for them during their visits. Cleo's service to Vernon A.M.E. was unending because she truly loved her church and she had a special relationship with God. She served faithfully until her illness as a Trustee, Steward, Sunday School Teacher, and Class Leader and was a member of the Northside and Anna Brooks Missionary Units. Her participation in the HSSI (Helping Seniors Stay Independent) weekly gathering was a highlight of her later years. She enjoyed mixing and mingling with her lady friends as they ate, exercised, played games and talked. Her working life was with the United States Postal Service. Starting as a mail clerk, she eventually made history in the Tulsa Postal Service by becoming the first African American to serve as a window clerk at the main post office in downtown Tulsa. She retired from the postal service in 1986. Her greatest losses were those of her husband, Joseph, Sr. and her son, Joseph, Jr. But she knew that God was in control and she kept her faith in God through thick and thin and sadness and joy. She leaves to cherish her memory and rejoice in the life she led her daughter Connie Rose Mitchell (George, Sr.) of Inkster, Michigan; Clifton Charles Cohn (Mary) of Tulsa; her Daughter-In-Law Diane Cohn of Kent, Ohio (Joseph, Jr.-deceased); Grandchildren Shanna Cohn (Washington, D.C.), George Mitchell, Jr. (Westland, MI), Carlotta Mitchell (Westland, MI), Shauntell Thomas, Kelly Cohn and Barbara Nash (Tulsa), Jasmyne Cohn (Los Angeles, CA), two very special Great-Granddaughters, Remi and Malaysia Nash (Tulsa), adopted daughters Betty Thomas and Rhoda Littles (Inkster, MI), Helen Monday Gordon, Michelle K.T. Moulden, Patricia Carter (Tulsa) and Stephanie Walston (Haskell, OK), a total of 17 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great grandchild, and many nieces, nephews and friends who loved her dearly.