Ellen Lamkay Cohen's Obituary
Ellen Lamkay Cohen
June 26, 1942 – May 30, 2025
Ellen (nee Lamkay) Cohen was born in Bensonhurst Brooklyn, New York, on June 26, 1942, to Herman and Mollie Lamkay. She was the beloved sister of Michael Lamkay. A proud graduate of Lafayette High School, Ellen met her future husband, Jack Cohen, when she was just 14 and he was 16. After three months of dating, she declared, “Why don’t you kiss me already?” and promptly took matters into her own hands, pushing him up against a wall and kissing him for the first time. They shared one of their first dates at a restaurant in Manhattan, where Ellen explained to Jack the difference between an appetizer and an entrée.
Following Jack’s return from military service in Korea, the two were married on Christmas Day in 1962. They began their married life in Brooklyn and soon welcomed their first child, Wendy Ann, in April 1966. They bought a home and moved to Merrick, NY while Ellen was pregnant with their second child; their son Jonas Charlton, born November 1971.
Shortly after the death of her father in 1978, and with her husband working two jobs to pull the family out of debt, Ellen made the bold decision to go back to school. She balanced a busy school schedule while raising children and aiding her ailing mother. Despite these obstacles, she earned both her BSW and MSW in Clinical and Medical Social Work from Adelphi University in just four years. Her career in social work began with the Queensboro Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, where she forged lasting friendships and professional partnerships. She later worked at North Shore Hospital before joining the newly formed Hospice Care of Long Island.
At a time when hospice care was still gaining ground in the United States, Ellen played a critical role in shaping the legislation that made such care accessible nationwide. She was named Director of Social Work in 1989, helping transform Hospice Care into a vital and respected organization. Her dedication came full circle when Jack was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2000 and received care from the very organization Ellen had helped build. Jack passed away on February 7, 2001.
Ellen continued her work with Hospice Care until her retirement in 2004. She later met and married her second husband, George Robinson. The two shared a happy life in Merrick, NY, before retiring to a home Ellen purchased in Boynton Beach, Florida. After George’s passing, Ellen remained in Boynton Beach, where she embraced an active lifestyle that included water aerobics, chair yoga, playing cards, and dancing to her own beat. She cherished meaningful conversation and the company of those who could meet her depth and humor.
Ellen was fiercely proud of her children and especially of her grandchildren, Hayley and Alec, whom she regarded as truly brilliant. She lived a life out loud, fighting loudly and fiercely for what she believed to be right, and imparted that strength to her children and those around her.
Ellen passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 30, 2025. She was looking forward to celebrating her 83rd birthday and attending the wedding of her grandson Alec to his fiancée, Ariana Bruschi in April 2026. She is survived by her daughter Wendy Winchel and son-in-law Todd Winchel, her son Jonas Cohen, and her grandchildren, Alec Winchel and Hayley Winchel.
What’s your fondest memory of Ellen?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ellen?
Share a story where Ellen's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ellen you’ll never forget.
How did Ellen make you smile?