Sarah Myrick Cogen

Sarah Myrick Cogen, age 78 years, of Flemington, NJ died in the loving arms of her daughter and son on Monday, December 14, 2009.

Born in Columbus, Georgia, June 12, 1931, daughter of the late Ruby Smith Myrick and Richard Joiner Myrick Jr, she had resided in Flemington near her son Jeff Cogen and daughter-in-law Kerry Cogen for 10 years.

She graduated in 1952 from the Henry Grady School of Journalism at The University of Georgia in Athens, GA, before becoming a news reporter for The Atlanta Journal in Atlanta.

While a reporter, she met and married Joel Cogen, to whom she was married for 26 years, and with whom she moved to New Haven, Connecticut when he entered Yale Law School in 1956.

Living in New Haven for 43 years, she proudly raised two children, Jessica and Jeffrey, sometimes as a civic minded, “stay-at-home mom” and sometimes in a varied career. Working in public relations for Southern New England Telephone Company she wrote magazine articles, news releases and occasional speeches for officers of the company. Later she returned to newspaper reporting for the Ansonia Sentinel, before obtaining her real estate license and launching her own successful real estate company. As the market was taking a downward turn, she sold the company and moved into semi-retirement in Washington, D.C. near her daughter. There she managed a gift shop in Georgetown and served on her condominium board.

She was always civic minded, and in New Haven served in many different volunteer capacities including president of the local PTA at her children’s school, as an officer on the board of directors for non-profit Neighborhood Music School in which her children participated and which she helped grow to become nationally respected among music schools. In 1968, she was Chairman of the Greater New Haven Citizens for Humphrey-Muskie, and in the 1960s and 70s she also participated in civil rights and other civic protests to stand up for equal rights and equal access for all. She was active in Travelers Aid, an organization that assists individuals and families in transition or crisis, and served on the board of directors of her local chapter.

In Flemington, though increasingly limited in what she could do, she greatly enjoyed playing bridge at the local senior center, events with the Flemington Women’s Club, and the community and caring staff at Independence Manor where she lived.

In addition to son and daughter-in-law Jeffrey and Kerry Cogen of Flemington and daughter and son-in-law Jessica Cogen and Joel Newton of Arlington, Virginia, Sarah is also survived by five grandchildren: Andrew, Jennifer and Adam Cogen of Flemington, New Jersey and Trevor and Eric Newton of Arlington, Virginia. She is also survived by loving brother and sister-in-law Richard and Wini Myrick of Atlanta and their children and grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 19 in the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ. Interment will be private. There will be no calling hours.

Memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the American Lung Association, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004 or online at http://www.lungusa.org.

Please visit www.holcombefisher.com for further information, or to send condolences.