Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

In 1917, Robert (Bob) M. Cohee was born on the family farm in Frankfort, Indiana, to his parents Carlotta and Paul Cohee. He was soon joined by a brother, Bill. Both of the children learned responsibility at a young age by having chores on the farm. Bob was especially close to his mother, who was fun-loving. The boys were raised on the farm until the banks closed during the time of the Depression. The family lost the farm when Bob was only 11-years-old.

The family moved to Hollywood where they attended the United Methodist Church. Bob enjoyed reading from a young age and because of his intelligence, he skipped a grade. Although he was the shortest in his class, he played basketball in high school. He was truly a sports enthusiast who spent many hours practicing basketball in his free time.

He believed if you worked hard at anything, you could achieve your goals. At the young age of 16, he graduated from Hollywood High School where one of his classmates was young actor Mickey Rooney. In social situations, Bob always saw himself as a farm boy in the big city but his work ethic was his biggest asset. As a teenager, he worked at the YMCA in Hollywood and really enjoyed meeting new people. He dealt with many children at the YMCA and with his patience, he took the time to explain things. He always made subjects easy to understand.

Bob went on to graduate from Santa Barbara State College and later earned his Masters of Education from USC, becoming a life long Trojan fan. In the early 40's, Bob volunteered to join the United States Navy, serving for four years during World War II. The Navy officers would become his friends for life. Bob spent most of his time serving on the ship the USS King as it patroled the waters between San Francisco and the Aleutian Islands during hostilities with Japan. The USS King has a famous place in history as it provided escorts along the West Coast, even joining a task force to escort troop transport President Millard Fillmore north to the Aleutian Islands. Bob shared Navy stories over the years, remembering when the USS King saw battle.

Arriving in San Francisco where he was stationed while he wasn't at sea, Bob met a stewardess named Katherine. After a few weeks, he knew Kay was the sweetheart of his life and he proposed. The couple married at the United Methodist Church in Hollywood on June 16, 1944. Bob and Kay enjoyed a brief honeymoon in Santa Barbara. After Bob proudly finished his service in the Navy, the couple started their life together first in San Francisco, living in an apartment. They were so pleased to welcome their first-born child, a daughter, whom they named Linda. Those early years together were wonderful because Bob and Kay were devoted to each other. With pride in his country, after the war, Bob also continued his service by joining the Navy Reserves, where he would serve once a month for 22 years.

The family soon moved to Compton in Southern California. They were thrilled to buy their first home in Lynwood, where they would live for the next 50 years. Bob landed a job working with Western Electric for a few years before becoming a math teacher at Lynwood High School. Bob and Kay counted their blessings again with the birth of their second child, a son whom they named Paul. Bob loved being a father but his life was balanced between family and work. After being promoted into administration he served as the Director of Activities, Principal of Lincoln Elementary School, Vice Prinicipal of Lynwood High School, and Principal of Hosler Junior High School in the Lynwood School District.

Before he retired, he also served as Principal of the Lynwood Adult School. During his career, he worked for more than 30 years in education.

Bob Cohee was a role model to everyone he met in life. He was a devoted husband, a good father, a caring grandfather and great-grandfather. With his grandchildren, Julie and Kelly, he always made the time to help them with the task at hand, especially when it was one of his favorite subjects like Algebra. He took them to the jetty and taught them how to fish. He also enjoyed time spent with his great-grandchildren: Amanda, Matthew, and Reese. A season ticket holder for USC for 30 years, he loved the Trojans and always supported his favorite team. For his wife, he loved her until the end of his days calling her cutie and sweetheart. The family held an incredible 50th Wedding Anniversary Party for the couple in 1994 at the Long Beach Naval Officer's Club. It was a true partnership and love affair until the end of his days. Bob will be remembered as a humble man. He was a patriot who was truly caring and dependable throughout his life. His advice to everyone would be to set your standards high and adhere to them. Whatever you set out as your goals in life or for your career, if you believe in something stick to it. We all make mistakes, but remember to get back on your path and make a difference in the world.

Memorial donations are welcome in Bob's name to the Multiple Sclerosis Society (www.nationalmssociety.org/cal), American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org), or American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org).