Porter Barrett Cohen, beloved husband of Mildred Cheney “Mimi” Cohen, died
peacefully at Burke County Medical Center in Waynesboro, Georgia, on March 26,
2022. Mr. Cohen was 92 years old. He was born on August 16, 1929, in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, to Mary Nell and Russell Cohen and was one of three children.
Mr. Cohen grew up in Waynesboro, Georgia, and attended Clemson University, where
he graduated with a BS in Agriculture. After college, he returned to Waynesboro to
raise peaches and cattle on his family farm while also working with the Agricultural
Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS). He retired January 1987 after 30
years of service with ASCS. He curtailed his farming and soon discovered a passion for
golf and played regularly into his 90’s. Mr. Cohen also became a rose gardener. He
and his loving wife Mimi provided many roses throughout the years for weddings,
funerals, and other events. He was a life-long member of the Waynesboro First United
Methodist Church and a member of the Scrap Gresham Sunday School Class where he
taught for several years. He was also a regular member of the Coffee Club where the
events of the day were discussed and much wisdom was shared.
Mr. Cohen was preceded in death by his wife Mimi and his daughters Mildred Cohen
Coleman and Katherine Cohen Scardato. He is survived by his daughter Mary Cohen
Wills (John) of Thomson, Georgia, and his son James Barrett “Jim” Cohen (Debbie) of
Lawrenceville, Georgia; sister Sofie Cohen Wills of Douglas, Georgia; and son in-laws
Charles Hamilton Coleman, of Augusta, Georgia, and Michael Anthony Scardato of
Charleston, South Carolina. He is also survived by his nine grandchildren: Mimi
Coleman Grinalds (Allen), Katherine Coleman Johnson (Brown), Mary Charles Coleman
Snoddy (Mark), and Sarah McMillan Coleman, all of Augusta, Georgia; Adrienne Wills
Pendley (Stuart) of Atlanta, Georgia; Charles Wingfield Wills (Madeline) and Porter
Barrett Wills of Augusta, Georgia; Cheney Cohen Pridgen (John) of Carrollton, Georgia;
Henry Barrett “Hank” Cohen (Tanner) of Roswell, Georgia; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on March 29, 2022, from 11:00AM to 12:00PM at the Waynesboro
First Methodist Church social hall. The funeral will be held on March 29, 2022, following
the visitation at 12:00PM at First United Methodist Church of Waynesboro with the
Reverend Isaac Salgado officiating. Burial will follow at Burke Memorial Gardens. The
family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the First United Methodist
Church, 802 Liberty Street, PO Box 420, Waynesboro, Georgia 30830.
Arrangements are by Burke Memorial Funeral Home, 842 North Liberty Street,
Waynesboro, GA 30830. (706) 551-5100.
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