Lee Cohen Uses Bequest to Ensure CA Remains a Launch Pad for Legacies

Lee Cohen ’78 and his wife and business partner, Sheryl Chinowth, have together grown a successful real estate agency whose legacy is part of the very fabric of their home state of Oklahoma. Now, through a bequest in their will, they are ensuring future generations of Cheshire Academy students can forge their legacies wherever they choose to make their mark.

For Lee, attending Cheshire Academy proved to be a pivotal experience, introducing him to a culture that was congenial, personable, and caring. His teachers were not only outstanding educators but also mentors during formative years of his life.

“The teachers were the best part about the school,” Lee says. “They basically mentored me all the way through my seven years there.”

Since graduating, Lee has remained a consistent donor and supporter of CA, serving on the Board of Trustees, assisting with reunions, and acting as a class agent. With their planned gift, which is an unrestricted gift of cash, his and Sheryl’s support will continue far into the future.

A native of New York City now living in Tulsa, Lee encourages his fellow alumni to consider their own legacies and remember what CA meant to them.

“I think the biggest thing for me is that people need to remember where they came from,” Lee says. “Remember where you came from and, as we move from one generation to the next, remember there are people behind us, and part of your legacy should be to allow other people to make their legacy.”