Longtime Hartford-area columnist Larry Cohen died suddenly yesterday, his wife reports. He was 64.
There will be an obit later. Cohen worked at The Courant, The Hartford Business Journal and the Yankee Institute. He was a past president of the Society of Professional Journalists in Connecticut. He was a speechwriter at the Hartford Insurance Group and for United Technologies Corp. He also taught at colleges and universities in the Hartford area and worked for a short time for former Gov. John G. Rowland.
He wore a suit. He knew Hartford and state politics. And he kept writing.
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12 Responses to Larry Cohen, RIP
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How sad about Larry’s passing. He was an original thinker who kept the flames of free enterprise afire in Connecticut. He did it with great humor and style. A very important voice has been stilled for those who believe in the power and the potential of the individual.
We are a much poorer place with his passing.
Just heard about Larry’s sudden and far-too-young death. I only knew him through our email exchanges for the column we shared but I enjoyed every one of those enormously virtual conversations. He seemed, even when being deliberately annoying, to be able to remain a gentleman and a sweetheart. My condolences to those who knew him better. Thank you for writing this, Rick.
In a time when the word “friend” applies to an acquaintance on Facebook, Larry was a great friend in the truest sense of the word. He cared about his friends, loved sharing the good times, and stood with them in the tough times.
Even with all the strains journalism has been under, he loved the profession, saw it as a calling and was terrific at it. In his long career, as a reporter, editorial writer, speechwriter and columnist, his generous spirit and humor came through. We’ll miss him for that but, most of all, we’ll miss his loyal friendship during his 40 years in Connecticut.
Larry was a good friend and colleague for years at United Technologies. We’ll miss him. Larry and I actually had been corresponding by email during the past few days, as Larry worked on a piece about Connecticut business leaders from his home in Florida. He was a Writer — with a capital “w” — and an articulate voice for the more conservative side, a side rarely heard ’round these parts. Thanks, Rick, for telling us the sad news.
Larry Cohen was one of the smartest, wittiest writers I’ve ever been privileged to know. He gave a kick in the pants to every publication he wrote for. He was fascinated by intimate facts, saw the truthful heart of any subject, and was the only person I knew who could be sour and jolly at the same time. Tonight, I’m going to toast him with a Makers Mark and a cigar, the way he’d want to be remembered. I’m going to miss him.
A sad day in journalism. Larry was an awesome writer who did not pull any punches. He was a dynamo who will be sorely missed by his Hartford Courant colleagues, both past and present, including me. RIP dear man.
As a colleague of Larry’s at UTC, I benefited from his wit and his tough-minded editing skills. He was such a vital guy, and I am stunned to learn he is gone. We’ll miss him, and his words of wisdom.
I knew Larry first thanks to Connecticut SPJ and then for his willingness to talk about anything on my talk show. Larry was sharp, smart and always on point.
Whether you agreed or disagreed with him wasn’t asd important as that you could defend your position. In a world where everyone is a “friend” I was honored to be able to call him one.
I’ll miss you Larry….and so will we all.
Larry always had a smile and an engaging word or two for me when I ran into him in the halls of The Courant. We didn’t often agree on everything. But he always made his point eloquently and he’d make me rethink my positions. But above all else was that smile. He was a friend. I will miss him.
What sad news. Larry provided much needed philosophical balance in our Connecticut journalism community, and always a wry smile. He loved presenting the free market point of view just because it was so frequently missing. He was clever and direct in his craft. Also, a great colleague in SPJ and a good friend. When I once asked him to consider joining a non-profit board, he seemed pleased but warned: do you think they can handle me? Ah, yes, the provocateur! Sincere condolences to his family. We will miss you, Larry.
Ironically, and perhaps most fitting, Larry with his trademark humor asked me for help last week with his most recent assignment for HBJ.
“Harriet, hope all is well. I’m in Florida full-time now, except for occasional business trips back to Connecticut. Hey, Hart. Business Journal has me writing
an obit/essay kind of thing on 20 prominent Hartford-area business leaders who have died in the last 20 years. Should be able to find a minyon in that.”
Now sadly, he is the story and has the last word. May his memory be for a blessing. My condolences to the Cohen family. We have lost a unique voice.
A character and a gentleman, Larry was a smart, witty and kind person. I knew Larry from his PR days. I usually learned something when we interacted. I also enjoyed his writing. Whether or not you agreed with his columns, they were always engaging. He’ll be missed.