Celia Cohen, a Kansas City, Kansas, native, entrepreneur and trailblazer, passed away on June 15, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she resided for the past 22 years. The cause was ovarian cancer.
Mrs. Cohen was born April 12, 1923, at Grace Hospital in Kansas City. She attended Lowell School and graduated in 1940 from Wyandotte High School, where she was a member of the Honor Society and created and wrote a column entitled “Fads and Fashions” for the newspaper.
Mrs. Cohen was the daughter of Michel and Goldie Friedman. They were members of Congregation Ohev Sholom. Michel, a past president of the congregation, owned Friedman Auto Parts in Kansas City, Kansas. Goldie, a homemaker, volunteered on behalf of Ohev Sholom. A memorial was established in their name at Congregation Ohev Sholom.
Immediately after graduation she attended the University of Oklahoma and the University of Nebraska, then returned to Kansas City where she was a saleswoman at Kline’s and a dress buyer at Harzfeld’s.
In 1948 Celia married William Cohen. They lived in Wichita, Kansas, where Mr. Cohen was an independent oil businessman. Mrs. Cohen returned to college, graduating from Wichita State University in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism.
In 1969 Mrs. Cohen opened her own accredited Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) agency in Wichita and successfully operated her business until 1990. Her clients included nonprofit organizations, government agencies and for-profit companies. She advised elected officials and counseled Wichita State University, the city of Wichita, Wichita Wurlitzer Organ, the performances of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Wichita and Vornado, to name a few.
A Wichita resident for more than 40 years, Mrs. Cohen was active in the community. She was a past president of the Kansas chapter of PRSA, president of Wichita Press Women, and president of the Hebrew Congregation Sisterhood. She also served on the boards of the Wichita State University Alumni Association and United Way of Wichita.
In 1994 Mrs. Cohen moved to Scottsdale, where she volunteered at the Mayo Clinic and was a real estate agent. At the age of 82 she was hired as a lobby ambassador at the Westin Kierland Resort Hotel & Spa. She worked for the Starwood property for 11 years, finishing her last day on May 8, Mother’s Day, this year.
While at the Westin Kierland, Mrs. Cohen received the Arizona Governor’s Tourism Award two consecutive years. The award is given annually to one individual in the tourism industry who best exemplifies hospitality to visitors, tourists, business professionals and families.
Mrs. Cohen was a trailblazer. She returned to college at a time when women in their 40s did not, she opened her own public relations agency when businesswomen were a rarity and she began her most current job at 82.
Mrs. Cohen was predeceased in death by her husband and two sons. She is survived by her son, Steven, who resides in Herndon, Virginia.
Graveside services were held at the Wichita Hebrew Cemetery on Monday, June 20. A celebration of her life was set to take place at Temple Solel in Paradise Valley on Wednesday, June 22.
Donations in Mrs. Cohen’s memory may be made to Mayo Clinic Arizona or Temple Solel.