In Memoriam: Ruby Burman Cohen (1922-2011)

Ruby Cohen, a theater scholar and expert on the work of Samuel Beckett, died recently as a result of complications of Parkinson’s disease. She was 89 years old.

Dr. Cohen taught at the University of California at Davis for 30 years. She was a professor of comparative drama and taught in the literature and theater departments. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of California at Davis, she taught at San Francisco State University and the California Institute of the Arts.

A native of Columbus, Ohio, she moved to New York City and graduated from Hunter College. During World War II, she joined the WAVES and installed radar on U.S. battleships. After the war, she earned doctorates at the University of Paris and Washington University in St. Louis. She was the author or editor of more than 20 books, many of which were on the works of Samuel Beckett. She also wrote extensively on both the British and American theater.