Philip Cocimano - Obituary

bituary for Philip R. Cocimano (October 23, 1927-November 11, 2010) Philip R. Cocimano, 83, of Riva, Maryland, passed away on November 11, 2010 from cancer. Known to pals as “Coci,” Phil was a friend to everybody and loved the simple things in life. He grew up in Southeast D.C. and was a superior athlete who played all sports at Eastern High School. He was a three-sport letterman and made All-Metropolitan Football three years in a row: 1943, 1944, and 1945. After he graduated from high school, he served in the U.S. Army for one and a half years. He then attended Wilson Teachers College, where he met his future wife, Suzanne. He worked for the D.C. Recreation Department—as director of Anacostia Park and Congress Heights Playground--for over 30 years, where he made an impact on many young lives. There he coached many sports teams; his youth softball teams won eight straight City Softball Championships. Phil was inducted into the Jocks Club Hall of Fame in 1988. Phil was an avid Redskins fan and worked as an usher at RFK Stadium for 30 years. He loved horses, especially betting on the races at Rosecroft Raceway and Laurel Park. He enjoyed being near the water and spent many summer days crabbing at the community pier or at his beach house in Fenwick Island, Delaware. His many friends looked forward to his attendance at their regular card games and luncheons. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Suzanne; his daughter Maureen Montgomery and her husband Monte; his daughter Colleen White and her husband Michael, all of Annapolis; sisters Rose Mary Cocimano of Silver Spring, Maryland; Theresa Betthauser of Tomah, Wisconsin; and Margaret Fredericks of Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania; and grandchildren Erin, Kirstin, and Timothy Montgomery, Ryan, Philip, and Megan White. Friends are invited to Philip’s Life Celebration at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD, on Tuesday, November 16, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Wednesday, the 17th, at 9:30 am at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 W. Central Ave., Davidsonville, MD. Interment is at Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Crownsville, MD. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Maryland chapter of the American Cancer Society, 1041 Route 3 North, Building A, Gambrills, MD 21054.