Eric Cohen of East Hampton died on Saturday, June 13, at Southampton Hospital after collapsing at a gym in Sag Harbor. He was 51.
A science teacher at Westhampton Beach High School, Mr. Cohen was also a fitness instructor for Hamptons Gym Corporation, teaching “spin” classes to a devoted following of indoor cyclists. Competitively racing bicycles since the early 1980s, Mr. Cohen began running when he was 40 and since then has completed eight marathons and two ultra marathons, as well as many other races of varying distances. Last summer he was hired by Nike to organize training runs for participants in the Hamptons Marathon.
A competitor at heart, Mr. Cohen had set personal goals for 2009 to beat his previous race times and to participate in the Mighty Hamptons Triathlon.
Visitation was held at R.J. O’Shea Funeral Home in Hampton Bays on Wednesday, June 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral service will be held today, Thursday, June 18, at the First Baptist Church of Patchogue, at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Washington Memorial Park in Mount Sinai.
on Jun 17, 2009