Darlene Cohen main page

Darlene Cohen Main Page

Darlene Cohen, Su Rei Ken Po
(October 31, 1942 - January 12, 2011)
Funeral Service was Friday, February 25 at Green Gulch Farm

SFZC Memorial Page for Darlene

Tony Patchel (widower)

1-20-11 - Darlene Cohen's brother David on his sister's passing

2-26-11 - Darlene - Dear friend for forty years, so witty and strong - a long distance runner who's broken the ribbon and taken the prize. We stand and cheer! All my love dear. David

[DC statement for Darlene Cohen's funeral which was yesterday: Darlene asked that I be in the procession but I couldn't so I sent this from India.]

Darlene was a student of and at times assistant to urasenke cha no yu, tea ceremony, teacher Nakamura Sensei who lived for years in the tea house at Green Gulch. Nakamura was elderly and traditional, always wearing Japanese kimono and maintaining an air of decorum and dignity. She was fierce, and strict, sometimes seeming to me to be mean in the way she related to students, verging on abusive - but they loved and respected her. Sometimes Darlene would take Nakamura shopping or out to lunch and on one of these days she must have been quite fed up with Nakamura's recent treatment of her. On the way back to Green Gulch she went through a car wash. As the car approached the rinsing stage, Darlene pressed a control to roll down the window next to Nakamura. When they exited the car wash, Nakamura, who was then drenched with the spray, bowed to Darlene, saying, "Darlene San," in acceptance of her student's spontaneous expression of - maybe of the spirit of tea. - told to DC by Howie Klein who is invited to edit this delectable story.

3-12-11 - Check out the great photo of Daya Goldschlag and Darlene Cohen near the top of Daya's interview

2-25-11 - Darlene Cohen, Su Rei Ken Po (October 31, 1942 - January 12, 2011)
Funeral Service: Friday, February 25 at 3:00pm. Location: Green Gulch Farm

1-16-11 - Dear Family, Students and Friends of Darlene,

Thank you for your many many expressions of love and support to Tony and the family now that our Great Spirit has passed from this form world into the great mystery. Below are e-mails that Tony, or the author, has asked me to share with you.

Metta,

Lisa Hoffman

From Matthew Patchell:

Please extend the appreciation that Ethan, I, the rest of the extended family and indeed the extended community have for the care and support that the Sanhgah has provided my dad and Darlene to all of you that have contributed so much. I know the list is long.

In gassho,

Matthew Patchell

Elizabeth Sawyer - My visit with Darlene and Tony on Friday Jan 7, 2011

Shambhala Sun - Remembering Darlene Cohen

1-13-11 - People will continue to sit with Darlene Cohen's body until noon today, Jan. 13.

Friday: 8:45 AM -- Cremation and cremation ceremony
Pleasant Hill Memorial Park and Mortuary 1700 Pleasant Hill Road
Sebastopol, CA

Obit for Darlene on Sweeping Zen site by Adam Tebbe

December 2009 Sweeping Zen interview with Darlene

December 2010 article on Darlene on SFZC site by Laura Burges

1-12-11 - Darlene Cohen, Su Rei Ken Po, Great Spirit Manifesting Dharma, died at 1:15 AM this morning.

She was with Tony, Ethan and Matthew. Tony says that one moment she was breathing and the next moment she wasn't. The family had been with her for many hours.

Lisa Hoffman reports that Darlene is dressed in her priest robes with her lavender rakusu on a red cloth on the bed in the main room upstairs at Russian River Zendo and that she looks peaceful, like she is about to smile. She has been washed and bathed with yerba santa tea collected from Tassajara.

Lisa wrote soon after Darlene's death, "We will begin chanting in the Dai Shin Dharani upstairs shortly, and then move down to the Zendo with her for the Taiyo ceremony which will be at 7 AM. All are welcome to be part of the ceremony, which is attached so that people further away can have a feel for what we will be doing.

"We will be sitting with Darlene for the next day and a half at RRZ -- all are welcome, and she will be cremated shortly after that."

Farewell dear friend of forty years, great spirit, great attitude, a real inspiration. - dc.

Prior messages on Darlene's condition

Darlene's website Her meditation groups

1-15-11 - Darlene Cohen in 1973 with son Ethan with hubby Tony in background at Green Gulch Farm. Sent to cuke by Darlene's brother, David who says that he thinks Ethan was born on May 27th, the birthday of Daya Goldschlag (Darlene's close friend and colleague and DC's first wife).