OCEAN CITY – Aaron Cohen of Ocean City, loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family on Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 at his second home in Fort Collins, Colorado. He was 90.

Aaron was born and raised in Schenectady, N.Y. Growing up, he excelled in athletics, participating in basketball, tennis, and gymnastics in high school. He attended Union College in Schenectady, where he majored in physics. Having studied during World War II, upon graduation he was hired by the General Electric Co. as an engineer, where one of his first jobs involved the development of Sonar technology to detect enemy submarines. His work at G.E. also involved research and development of jet aircraft engines.

G.E.., however, offered Aaron more than a career. It was there that he met Grayce Cohn, another G.E. employee, who became his wife and best friend. They married in 1946 and built a family: daughter, Sharon, and son, Bruce. They shared a long life together filled with family and friends.

Aaron and Grayce lived in Schenectady until, in 1961, GE transferred Aaron to Bethesda, Maryland where he worked on the Apollo space program. Soon after, Aaron started a new career taking his technical skills to the federal government. For nearly 20 years he worked in information technology as a deputy director for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Economic Development Administration. 

While living in Bethesda, Ocean City became the traditional destination for their family summer vacations. After falling in love with the beach, Aaron and Grayce bought a home in Ocean City in 1975.

Upon Aaron’s retirement in 1982, he and Grayce moved from Bethesda to Phoenix, Ariz. where he helped Grayce run her small medical related business. For years, they would split their time between homes; wintering in Phoenix and summers in their home in Ocean City. Aaron and Grayce anchored their Ocean City life through their involvement in the development and growth of Temple Bat Yam.

In 2006, to be closer to their family, Aaron and Grayce sold their Phoenix home and moved to Fort Collins, Colo. Thereafter, they split their time between the foothills of Fort Collins and the beach in Ocean City.

Besides his interest in computers and technology, Aaron loved animals, never missing an opportunity to pat a passing dog or cat. He also enjoyed tennis, classical music, and spending time walking the beach and boardwalk at his Ocean City home. 

Aaron is survived by his wife, Grayce; children Sharon and Bruce; grandchildren Jason, Adam, Danielle, and Sarah; and great-grandchildren Abe, Eliana, Zev and Max.

The family extends special and heartfelt thanks to Don Lange, Mario Burton, and the personnel of Pathways Hospice for the loving care they provided to Aaron at the end of his life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Temple Bat Yam in Berlin www.templebatyam-oc.org, or Pathways Hospice of Larimer County in Fort Collins www.pathways-care.org, The Cohen family invites friends to sign Aaron’s guest book at www.resthavencolorado.com.