Barton Pollock Cohen Obituary (2006)

Barton Pollock Cohen was born on December 11, 1930, the first child of exceptional and loving parents, Joseph and Margaret Cohen. He passed from this world on December 11, 2006, leaving it enriched by his presence. Raised in Kansas City, KS, Bart traveled widely, satisfying his interest in seeing the world. After graduating from Pembroke Hill School, he was accepted at and graduated from Yale College, then Harvard Law School. After graduation from Harvard, he joined the United States Army and served in the Third Armored Division in Gelnhausen, Germany. Bart then joined his father in the practice of law at Cohen and Cohen Law Firm in Kansas City, KS. Eventually, Bart moved his law practice to Johnson County, KS sensing the growth that was going to take place there. In 2005, Bart celebrated 50 years practicing law in the state of Kansas. He always felt a responsibility to give back to his community. As a young lawyer, Bart was President of the KCK Jaycees and the Wyandotte County Mental Health Association. During his tenure at Wyandotte County Mental Health, construction began on the Rainbow facility for children and youth and Wyandotte County setting the standard in the state. From his father, Bart inherited his life-long dedication to human relations. He helped establish and served as Secretary and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Human Relations Council of Kansas City, KS. He helped form the Johnson County Mental Health Association and formed a Johnson County Human Relations Council. He was number one on the Fellows list of the Johnson County Bar Foundation, guided the establishment of the University of Missouri Law Foundation and was a member of the Kansas Bar Association since 1955. He served two terms on the Prairie Village City Council and a term as President of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. His interests in history and in his community are reflected by the organizations which he served either as a Board member or member, including the Johnson County Heritage Trust Grant Review Board, the State Historical Society, the Bleeding Kansas Historical Site Committee, the Johnson County Community College Foundation, and the Wyandotte County Historical Society and Museum. He was Of Counsel with the law firm of Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP. Bart also was involved in his father’s banking business. In 1976, Bart’s father, Joseph Cohen, passed away and Barton assumed his responsebilities at Metcalf Bank in Overland Park, KS. Under his guidance as President of Metcalf Bancshares, Inc. and Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Metcalf Bank and following his vision, the Bank has not only survived as an independent community bank, but has grown in a very competitive banking environment. While profitability was very important to Bart, it was common knowledge at the Bank that taking care of his employees and giving back to the community was even more important. He knew and was known by every individual working at the Bank. With respect and admiration, they mourn his passing. The light of Bart’s life was his wife, Dr. Mary Davidson Cohen. They shared many interests including traveling extensively across Kansas to find and research many Jewish historical sites. They endowed and dedicated a highway marker near Garden City, KS remembering the Jewish agricultural colony at Beersheba, the Cohen Center for Regional History at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, KS and Barton P. and Mary D. Cohen Room for Regional Art at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at Johnson County Community College. They are members of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah and The New Reform Temple. In addition to his wife, Bart is survived by two children, Thomas Cohen of Overland Park, KS and Margo Beames McKinney and her husband, Kevin, of Burlingame, CA; a stepson, John Davidson of Pasadena, CA; four grandchildren; a brother and sister-in-law, Miles and Nancy Cohen of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and a sister and brother-in-law, Hildred and Pat Flanigan of Leawood, KS. Bart was a man of courage, princeple and abiding conviction. But, even with all his accomplishments, he was a very humble man. He did not contribute for the glory, but for the satisfaction that he was leaving the world a little better than he found it. Let all who knew him remember the saying, “Do not let your grief be measured by the man, for then your sorrow has no end.” Instead, celebrate the gift that he was and honor him by continuing his legacy of civic, community and charitable involvement. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to the Johnson County Museum, 6305 Lackman Rd., Shawnee, KS 66217, the Wyandotte County Historical Society and Museum, 631 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs, KS 66012, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, 12320 Nall Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66209, The New Reform Temple, 7100 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64114 or a charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held at 12 noon on Thursday, December 14, at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, 12320 Nall Avenue in Overland Park. A brief memorial service and family visitation will be held at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.