Andy Cohen

COLONIE -Andrew Cohen, 56, passed away Friday, December 9th, 2022, surrounded by loved ones at Temple Hospital, Philadelphia. He was the loving husband of Kimberly Cohen, the adored father of Brittany and Ashley and a devoted community member. He was born on September 27, 1966 in Troy, New York, the son of Eugene and Eleanor Cohen and the brother of Mark Cohen. He grew up in Menands and graduated from LaSalle Institute in 1984. Andy attended Siena College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social work.

Andy’s girls were his pride and joy and he took any opportunity to share stories of their endeavors. He and Brittany shared a special bond through their common goal to serve the public, and he looked forward to the opportunities he had to meet up with her in the ER in her role as RN/NP. He frequently referred to Britt as the son he never had.  Andy loved Ashley’s sarcasm, which no doubt comes from him, and frequently described her as “funny as hell”. He also admired her strong will, resilience and beamed with pride at her choice to change the lives of children and families through speech therapy. Andy’s influence on the girls will undoubtedly shine through continuing to change the lives of so many others.

Andy spent nearly three decades as a hands-on girl dad, painting nails for proms, braiding hair, reading bedtime stories, attending cheer and dance events, and dancing joyously to Butterfly Kisses at countless father-daughter dances. This summer, Andy experienced his first European trip and was a part of his daughters’ own fairy tales, sharing in Brittany’s Croatian wedding and Ashley’s Italian engagement. He watched with delight and comfort as his girls began their lives with men who will love and cherish them as much as he did. It was on this trip that Andy shared his final father-daughter Butterfly Kisses dance with his daughters.

Andy cherished all his family, and on any given day, he could be found spending time with his in-laws, whom he loved like his own, golfing with his brother, or participating in various games with his nieces and nephews. Andy was a top tier uncle showering them with gifts as toddlers and quietly helping them escape trouble as adults. He and his sister-in-laws joyfully boasted about their shared NFM status as they quietly hung around the perimeter watching and laughing.  In recent years, his great-nephews, Colin and Jack never failed to light up his face and he cherished the time he spent with them as well as the deep bond they developed.

Andy’s commitment to his community cannot be overstated. At a young age, he joined the explorer post at Menands Fire Department which sparked an interest that fueled him as he climbed the ranks and became Chief of the Department. For twenty years, Andy was a police officer in the Village of Menands where he was recognized for life saving acts of heroism. After retirement, he worked for Colonie EMS and was affiliated with the Midway, Shaker Road-Loudonville and Fuller Road fire departments. At the time of his passing he was Town of Colonie Operations Car 3.

Andy has now begun a new line of duty, watching his loved ones from above and walking alongside them. Those cherishing Andy’s memory include his wife Kimberly, daughters Brittany (Alden) Perez and Ashley (Dominick) Cohen, his brother Mark Cohen, his nieces and nephews, CJ (Megan) Heinbach, Katrina (Tim) Goodale, Chelsea (Thomas) Heinbach-Padilla, Christopher Heinbach, Liana (Derrick) Henderson, Courtney (Nick) Heinbach, Josh (Elaine) Heinbach, and Daniel, William, and Keira Cohen. Andy has been welcomed into heaven with open arms by his father, Ed, his mother, Eleanor, and his sister-in-law Kerriann Cohen and Charles and Norma Heinbach.

Andy’s quiet yet strong presence, hilarious sarcastic quips, and knack for Irish goodbyes will be missed by countless friends, family members, and colleagues. If you’d like to share a story of how Andy impacted your life, please do so at www.CannonFuneral.com

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Andy’s family on Thursday from 3 to 7 pm at Cannon Funeral Home, 2020 Central Ave., Colonie. Funeral services with Full Departmental Honors will be Friday morning. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10:00 am at St. Clare’s Church, 1947 Central Ave. Colonie. Interment will follow at the Heroes Section of Memory Gardens.

Memorial contributions in Andy’s memory may be made to Colonies’ Firefighters Burn Fund, PO Box 1231, Latham NY 12110 or the Derek Murphy Fund, 4 South Colonial Heights, Troy, NY 12180. To leave a message of condolence for the family or to view Andy’s custom video tribute, visit www.CannonFuneral.com