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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Esther R. Cohen of Peoria, who passed
4away on August 14, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Esther Cohen was born to Solomon Rotenberg and
6Anne Sokol Rotenberg on September 28, 1930; she attended high
7school in Newton, Massachusetts; she earned her degree in Art
8History from Smith College in 1952; she was among the first 50
9women to graduate from Harvard Business School in 1953; she
10married Robert Cohen in 1956, and they moved to Peoria with
11their daughter, Sheryl, in 1958; and
 
12    WHEREAS, After her father's unexpected death, Esther Cohen
13ran her father's real estate property management business in
14Boston in the 1950s; and
 
15    WHEREAS, After she moved to Peoria, Esther Cohen began a
16lifetime of tireless contributions to art and culture in
17Peoria; she created and chaired the Peoria Civic Opera, later
18Opera Illinois, bringing world-class opera to Peoria for
19decades; she served on the boards of Opera Guild
20International, the Illinois Arts Alliance, Eureka College,
21Heartland Festival Orchestra, and The Peoria Women's Club; she
22chaired the Peoria Art Guild and the Fine Art Fair; she served

 

 

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1as chair of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, where she created
2the then-largest annual fundraiser, Hammerama; she also served
3as the president of the YWCA Board, chair of the YWCA Capital
4Campaign, and co-chair of YWCA Lakeview; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Esther Cohen was a member and chair of the Youth
6Farm League, now part of the Children's Home Association of
7Illinois, for decades; she was a lifelong conservationist and
8believed deeply in historic preservation; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Esther Cohen was recognized as a 2021 Local
10Legend by Peoria Magazines in July 2021; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Esther Cohen was known for her endless, unerring
12natural instinct of finding people's strengths while having
13compassion for their weaknesses; she breathed the essence of
14what was possible in all her family, friends, and the
15important ideas she championed; she will be sorely missed; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Esther Cohen is survived by her children, Sheryl
17(Michael Bork) Cohen, Les (Melissa) Cohen, and Jennifer Cohen;
18her grandchildren, Julian Cohen and Livia Cohen; her brothers,
19Michael (Karen) Rotenberg and Charles Rotenberg; and her many
20nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL

 

 

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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
2Esther R. Cohen and extend our sincere condolences to her
3family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to the family of Esther Cohen as an expression of our
7deepest sympathy.