TRIBUTE
IN MEMORIAM by Kelly Pugliano
on continued to compete in speed skat- ing and cycling and grew into many other athletic avenues by learning to downhill ski, scuba dive, kayak and excelling as an accomplished polo player. Settling in Miami, FL, Aaron and his
Olympian Margaret “Peggy” Crowe Margaret “Peggy” Crowe loved to tell
stories and make people laugh with her quick wit and fun loving nature. Famous for her “one-liners”, Peggy would leave you with tears of laughter streaming down your cheeks as you tried to keep a straight face. A vivacious, kind-hearted woman, Peggy, would not only fill a room with her infectious laughter, but a whole building. Raised in St. Louis, MO, Peggy fol-
lowed her brothers and sisters to the ice at Steinberg Memorial Skating Rink and took off in the sport of speed skat- ing in both disciplines of short and long track. Peggy secured 4th place in the 500m and placed 17th overall at the 1973 World Juniors event. The follow- ing year she improved to earn 4th in the 500m and 11th place overall at the 1974 World Juniors; in 1975 she placed 14th overall at World Sprints. Peggy became Missouri’s first female Olympic skater at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck Austria. Fellow Olympian Jim Chapin, Jr. re-
called fond memories of his friend, “af- ter we had been selected to the Olympic Team, Peggy came up to me and gave me a hug that almost cracked my ribs, she was one strong lady! She told me that the hug was not only for the pure joy of making an Olympic Team, but also ela- tion for our parents who had sacrificed so much to help make our Olympic dreams become a reality.” But the most endear- ing memory came from their moment leading up to the 1976 Olympic Winter
20 RACING BLADE Summer 2012
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Games in Innsbruck Austria, “Peggy be- came ill. It was a nasty influenza or virus that she could not shake. As a result her times got slower... I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for a young lady who was ill and struggling to skate well. The courage and conviction that Peggy displayed during this difficult time is my most endearing memory of her. Peggy stood up for herself and would not allow anyone to trample on her. She competed in the Games as she should have. Don’t let the smile and the big laugh fool you, there was much, much more to Peggy than that. I miss her dearly.” Her zest for life will be missed by many.
Aaron Cohen At the age of 4, Aaron Cohen’s first sport
was speed skating. From the first moment he stepped on the ice, the thrill of skating and racing took hold and he never looked back. He competed in several Olympic Festivals and was a top age-group skater on US Speedskating’s domestic circuit. Af- ter graduating from Glenbrook North HS in Northbrook, IL, Aaron chose to attend Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY due to the home of the Saratoga Winter Club and the esteemed coach, Pat Maxwell. While living in upstate New York, Aar-
wife Patty, also a Skidmore graduate, started their family, welcoming a daugh- ter Lilly, age 3 and a son Aiden, 1; they could not have been happier. Aaron was such a proud dad who loved to bring treats for the entire preschool class or as he did on one occasion, purchase every piece of artwork to donate proceeds to the school fundraiser. “Every morning, he would put a new picture of Lilly on Face- book. We would sign in every day to see them” His mother, Lynn Cohen shared. Completely present for his family, friends and anyone he would happen to meet, he shared his unending kindness, optimism and easy smile making everyone feel better just by knowing him. “He had an uncanny ability to make everybody hap- py,” his father Stephen said. He kept his competitive edge by par- ticipating in marathons, half marathons & most recently, triathlons, winning his very first event in 2011. Setting sights on an Ironman, Aaron
met a fellow cycling teammate on Feb- ruary 15, 2012 for a training ride, when out of nowhere, both were struck by a hit and run driver. Aaron passed away the following morning, suffering severe head injuries. Aaron touched many lives with his
spirit and kindness. A truly giving man, his family and friends and our whole skating community has suffered a deep loss. n
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