Rosalyn Spingarn Cohen

1946 - 2026

Rosalyn "Roz" Spingarn Cohen, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, passed away on August 19, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Roz was born in 1946 to Aaron and Jennie Spingarn and grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey. After earning her teaching degree from Newark State College, she moved to Florida to begin her career in the classroom, and it was there that she met Fredric "Rick" Cohen, then serving in the Navy. The two married, and Roz's wedding gown was, fittingly, her own handiwork.

Roz and Rick later settled in Massachusetts, where they welcomed and raised their two children, Jonathan and Rachel. The family made their home in Lee, Massachusetts, for 32 years. In 1983, Roz returned to the classroom, teaching first at Lee Central School and later at Lee Middle School, where hundreds of students came to know her warmth and dedication.

In 2007, Roz and Rick retired and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, though "retirement" never quite slowed her down. She continued working as a substitute teacher for Albuquerque Public Schools until 2025, and volunteered for years as a tour guide at Casa San Ysidro, sharing her love of history and storytelling with visitors. She also served on the Board of the Music Guild of New Mexico, where she poured her energy into organizing the Señorita Ball each year.

A truly gifted seamstress, Roz could - and did - make almost anything. Beyond her own wedding gown, she later sewed one for her daughter Rachel as well, a gift that captured just how much of herself she stitched into everything she made. Neighbors in both Lee and Albuquerque remember her not only for these creations but for the countless conversations, favors, and small kindnesses she offered over the years - from a fixed household item to a custom quilt or set of cushions to simply the pleasure of her company. Many of them continue to share those stories today.

As an only child, Roz held her many cousins (to whom she was known as "Rosie") and Rick's family especially close, treating them with all the warmth and closeness of siblings throughout her life.

Roz is survived by her husband of 57 years, Fredric Cohen; her daughter, Rachel, and her husband, Marc Kennedy; her son, Jonathan, and his wife, Rachel (née Lann); and her four grandchildren, Zachary, Samuel, Hannah, and Dylan.

Roz will be remembered for her generosity, her talented hands, her devotion to teaching and to her community, and the deep, lasting bonds she built with everyone who knew her - family, students, neighbors, and friends alike.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Roz's memory to either the Albuquerque Museum Foundation or the Berkshire Music School.