Carolyn Ann Cohn

Carolyn was born in Granite City, IL and grew up in the city of St. Louis, graduating from Central High School. She then earned a Masters in Education from University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her teaching career started in 1969 in a 42-student Catholic school elementary classroom. The following year, she moved to Pattonville School District in St. Louis County, where she served as a reading specialist for 31 years (her retirement blanket from Rose Acres Elementary was a key adornment in her living room). She also was fond of visiting Pere Marquette State Park and boating on the Mississippi River in Klei Zimmer with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

After retiring in 2001, she and her husband Arnold, settled into their dream home at Lake of the Ozarks surrounded by outboard motors and fur babies (his and her passions). She spent her days caring for her pets, cataloging birds for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and publishing a novel about life on the Mississippi (Port Fulton). She also enjoyed reading and her book club, playing mahjong, and hosting loved ones. This is also when Carolyn and Arnold’s trips to New Mexico fostered her profound appreciation for the Southwest and indigenous arts.

Retirement adventures continued when Carolyn and Arnold headed west in 2015. With the first set of grandkids going into big-kid territory, Carolyn and Arnold moved to Tucson to be closer to the last crop of grandbabies. Weekends were spent enjoying meals with the family - prickly pear margaritas at Tohono Chul, breakfast specials at KG’s, or the Blues, Brews, and BBQ brunch at Loews Ventana. After Arnold, her husband of 41 years, passed away in 2016, she reconnected with her Lake of the Ozarks community. In 2018, her dear friend from the lake, Paul Heil, joined her in Tucson. They provided each other companionship until his passing in April 2023.

In addition to Arnold and Paul, Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Caroline and Stanley Sadowski. She is survived by her sister Arlene; her and Arnold’s son Joe (Celine) and Arnold’s sons Scott (Melissa) and Bryan (Elizabeth); grandkids Sullivan, Zoey, Jonathan, Jason, and Emma; cousins and extended family. She believed that “every person is presented with an opportunity of a lifetime, if they pick the right path at the right time”.

Funeral Service will be held at East Lawn Palms Cemetery (5801 E Grant Rd, Tucson, AZ 85712) on Sunday, November 19th at 9:30 am with graveside service immediately following. A celebration of life brunch at Tohono Chul (complete with prickly pear margaritas), will occur right after services.

In lieu of flowers or if so inclined, donations to Friends of PACC (https://www.friendsofpacc.org/) or The Hermitage No Kill Cat Shelter (https://www.hermitagecatshelter.org/) are appreciated.