Olive Herstand

Madison- Olive Cohen Herstand passed away September 3rd, 2017. She was 90 years old. Preceded in death by brother Allen Cohen and parents Ruth Lewis and Jack Cohen. She is survived by her son, Marc Herstand, daughter, Robin Herstand, daughter in-law, Judith Herstand and grandchildren Ari Herstand, Micah Cowsik-Herstand, Amy Draheim and Vidya Cowsik-Santosh. Funeral service will be at noon on Wednesday September 6, at Temple Beth El, 2702 Arbor Drive, Madison, with burial at Beit Olamim in Sunset Memory Gardens and condolence lunch to follow. Shiva will be held Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7:00pm at the Herstand home (please call 608-238-8406 for details)

Olive Herstand was born July 31st, 1927 in New York City to mother Ruth Lewis, a well-known painter and father Jack Cohen, a civil engineer. Olive was a lifelong patron of the arts. She spent 49 years of her life in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Olive worked for the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 23 years in Minneapolis where she enjoyed being able to travel all over the greater Twin Cities area. She was an active member of the Twin Cities arts community where she loved attending Guthrie Theater productions, Minnesota Orchestra concerts and Walker Art Museum exhibits. She also loved attending her grandkids theater productions in Madison throughout their adolescence.

Olive grew up in the Bronx until the 10th grade when her family moved to Mount Vernon, NY. She was an active tennis player throughout her youth. She graduated from Mount Vernon High School at 16. Olive attended Alfred University in Upstate NY for 4 years and graduated with a degree in Chemistry.

In 1950 she married painter and educator, Arnold Herstand. From 1954-1962, Olive was very involved with Colgate University activities in Hamilton, NY. In 1962 she and her family spent a very memorable and joyful semester in Rome, Italy followed by 3 wonderful months traveling all throughout Europe.