Philadelphia City Councilman-at-Large David Cohen passed away yesterday at the age of 90.
The Penn alumnus died of heart failure shortly after noon in the intensive care unit at the Albert Einstein Medical Center, according to his son, Penn alumnus and Pennsylvania State Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Phila.).
"Councilman Cohen was a tireless and forceful advocate for the citizens of this great city," said Philadelphia Mayor John Street in a statement. "His passion was evident on every issue he championed."
Cohen had initially been admitted to the hospital on Sept. 14 to be treated for kidney failure and had missed the first three council meetings of the year.
However, just last week his son had said that he was on the path to recovery, and his chief of staff had expected him to resume his council duties. Cohen had even planned to run for re-election in 2007.
Despite being the oldest member of the council, he had remained active until his hospitalization. In addition to chairing the Law and Government Committee, he had been a prominent figure in local government since his election to the Council in 1967 -- a career spanning 38 years.
Moreover, as a Penn graduate, Cohen had been involved in University politics throughout his career. Just last month he, along with wife and Penn alumna Florence, were honored with the Paul Robeson Social Justice Award -- an award given to individuals who made an outstanding contribution to social change.
Although he had sometimes been an adversary to the Penn administration -- siding with members of Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania in their bid to unionize, for example -- Cohen had always been a fierce fighter and never hesitated to stand up for the issues which he advocated.
"I spent my life acting in the way I would like to ... trying to fix the problems of the world and ... communities," he said in September, just before his hospitalization.
It is unclear how the void on City Council left by Cohen will be filled.
"His mark on the legislature of this City shall never diminish," Street said in the statement. "Councilman Cohen will never be forgotten."
A funeral service is scheduled for Thursday morning at Goldsteins' Rosenberg's Raphael-Sacks funeral home at 6410 N. Broad St.
