Richard Neysa Cohen of West Tisbury, an avid sailboater and birder, died on Dec. 25, 2024, in the company of family. He died peacefully in Bourne, following a long illness. He was 82.
Richard Neysa Cohen was born in Chelsea on Nov. 11, 1942, the son of Israel and Frances Cohen. He grew up in Winthrop. Richard graduated from Hebron Academy in 1961, and went on to earn a B.A. in English at the University of Pennsylvania in 1965. In 1972 he earned a master’s of science and education from Boston University.
Richard served in the Navy as a disbursing officer during the Vietnam War aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Duluth (LPD 6). He was honorably discharged in 1970.
Richard met Toni in Athens, Ga., on a blind date in 1966. They were married in Miami on July 1, 1967. On the Vineyard, after they had moved on from the youth hostel, Richard and Toni owned and operated the Edgartown apparel store Chica from 1983 to 1995. Richard also worked in real estate, and was the vice president of a film distribution company.
Richard made many enduring friendships on the Vineyard after settling in West Tisbury with the love of his life, Toni. His second love was sailing. Richard sailed for pleasure and competition in Menemsha Pond, with Howard Coe and Blake Middleton. He also participated in a number of adventurous sailboat deliveries, some being transatlantic. He was the captain of the Hereshoff S boat Alise, the Cape Dory Typhoon Stardust, and the 12.5 Hereshoff Harmony.
Richard was a graceful skier, and enjoyed skiing with his sister, Elaine. He was skilled at tennis, and was fond of playing chess, and also reading, notably maritime, adventure, crime, and military books, both fiction and nonfiction.
Richard moved to the Vineyard in 1972 with his wife, Toni, in response to a Martha’s Vineyard Youth Hostel employment ad. The two worked at the hostel for several years. With a handshake loan from banker Bill Honey, Richard and Toni purchased a lot, and built a home with the help of friends.
In 1974, Richard was committed to celluloid in an uncredited role in “Jaws.” In a striped shirt and blue jeans, sporting his signature brush mustache, Richard is seen wheeling Hooper’s shark cage across a dock to the Orca, as the boat is prepped to hunt the shark.
Richard enjoyed traveling the world with Toni, and also enjoyed hosting dinner parties with her. At these parties were many friends who also had settled on the Vineyard from elsewhere, including Len Morris, Richard’s longtime wine, debate, and escapade buddy, and Lanny McDowell, with whom Richard spent countless hours in pursuit of their shared passion of birdwatching. Later in life, he took up drawing with his granddaughter, which became a favorite activity for both.
He is survived by his wife, Toni Cohen; his daughter, Amanda Saltzberg (Rich) of West Tisbury; his granddaughter, Electra Saltzberg of West Tisbury; sister Elaine Cohen (Donald Milotte) of Newburyport; his niece, Rachel Goldberg (Susan Cook) of Florence; his nephews, Jessup Goldberg Cook of Prescott, Ariz., and Eli Goldberg Cook of St. Augustine, Fla.; his cousins, Jeffrey Gould (Benina) of Berkeley, Calif., and Joseph Douglas (Cynthia) of Salem; and by his rescue dog, Mosie. He was predeceased by his parents, and his brothers Henry Cohen and Robert Cohen.
The family would like to thank Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, the Center for Living, Caring Hospice of Falmouth, and Bourne Manor for their loving and respectful care.
A private ceremony at sea will take place in January.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard, 455 State Road, PMB 244, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.
“I was set free! I dissolved into the sea, became white sails and flying spray, became beauty and rhythm, became moonlight and the ship and the high dim-starred sky!” –Eugene O’Neill
