Richard Lon Cohen
(February 3, 1952 - August 20, 2015)
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden death of Richard Lon Cohen by cardiac arrest on August 20th, 2015. Rich was the cherished husband of Ria Sinnige, beloved son of Muriel (Mitzi)
Cohen and the late Julius Cohen. Rich passionately loved his daughter Mara and his son-in-law Gil
Reinin, and was a proud grandfather of Juni and Eitan. He was the dear older brother of Jeff, Gary,
Todd, Bob, Adam and their families. After marrying Ria, Rich became a dear member of her Dutch
family and they also cared deeply for him.
Rich's love of art and his innate sense of design will live on through his extensive body of work.
Starting out as an illustrator, and after hanging out around Ohio State University one of the hotbeds
of cgi development, Rich went on to become one of the early contributors to computer animation and digital visual effects. He worked for Pacific Data Images and later for ILM on films like Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Death Becomes Her. Other work included matte paintings on The Hudsucker Proxy, Starship Troopers and The Santa Claus 2. Rich was part of a team that received an Academy Award nomination for visual effects.
In 1999, Rich and Ria moved to Canada where he taught visual effects at Sheridan College, a college
reknowned for its computer animation program. He also taught painting in the Art Fundamentals
program.
Rich had amazing taste and a strong sense of design. He and Ria bought a house on the Niagara
Escarpment, that was something out of an architectural magazine. It was the kind of house you'd see pictures of but never expect to see in person. It was also exquisitely furnished, with much of the furniture created by Rich himself. Rich's woodworking even led to the making of guitars. He was intensely focused when he found something he was interested in and stopped at nothing to get the results he wanted. Everything he created ended up being of professional quality.
In December of 2009, Richard had a stroke which resulted in a weakened left side, loss of balance and losing the use of his left arm. This was a major blow for someone so interested in creating both digital and physical things. In more recent years, as a result of the stroke, he developed chronic pain which no medication seemed to control. In spite of this pain, he still managed to begin a new interest .......bonsai trees..........which he pursued with his typical vigor!
Rich impacted so many lives and we will miss his laughter, his enthusiasm and his love..
In memory of Rich, please plant a tree..........and if you'd like to, turn it into a bonsai!
Funeral services will be held in San Rafael at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery, 2500 Fifth Avenue (Kol Shalom section), August 28, Friday at 11:00 am.
An online condolence blog is available at richardlcohenmemorial.blogspot.ca