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AMHERST - Haskell Cohen, 91, longtime resident of Amherst, passed away peacefully at home Jan. 19, 2012.

Born Sept. 12, 1920, he was the son of Max and Sophie Cohen of Omaha, Neb., where he grew up and graduated from the University of Omaha. Haskell enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and served in the South Pacific during World War II.

Returning from the war, he married Lois Edith Coast, received a master's degree at the University of Chicago, and a doctorate in mathematics from Tulane University. He was a professor at the University of Alabama, Tulane, University of Tennessee, Louisiana State University and finished his career at University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1967 to 1995.

A lifelong sports fan, he faithfully followed the St. Louis Cardinals, the LSU Tigers football team, the New Orleans Saints, the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox.

Haskell was predeceased by his wife, Lois E. Cohen, in 1993, and his brother, Sam Cohen of West Des Moines, Iowa, in 2007.

He is survived by three children, Daniel Cohen, Suzanne Cohen and Deborah Hall; six grandchildren, Danielle Cohen, Jimi De Jong, Alyssa Boyko, Nicholas Southwick-Hall, Gracie Hall and Carly Hall; and one great-grandson, Grayson, who lovingly called him "Papa." He will be greatly missed.

A private ceremony will take place in Wildwood Cemetery, where Haskell will be buried with his wife, Lois.

An open house to celebrate Haskell's life will be held Tuesday, Jan. 31, at Deborah and Chris Hall's home, 191 Munsell Road, Belchertown, from 5 to 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, Washington, DC 20024-212, www.ushmm.org.

Beers & Story Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. To sign a memorial guest book online, please visit www.beersandstory.com.