Former St Paul Mayor, Judge Larry Cohen Dies

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Former St. Paul Mayor Larry Cohen, who was mayor of the Minnesota capital in the 1970s, has died. He was 83.

Cohen died at home Sunday surrounded by his family, according to his son, Scott. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Cohen had been suffering from lung cancer.

Cohen served two terms as St. Paul's mayor, from 1972 to 1976. He practiced law before being elected to the Ramsey County Board in 1970.

Then-Gov. Rudy Perpich appointed Cohen as a Ramsey County district judge in 1988. After 14 years he retired from the bench in 2002 as chief judge.

Cohen was instrumental in renovating the old federal courthouse in downtown St. Paul, now called Landmark Center. He also served on the Metropolitan Airports Commission for 11 years.