COGELIA, Nicholas
Joseph
Nicholas "Nick" Joseph Cogelia passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family on December 15, 2023. Nick was born in Baltimore, Maryland, October 12, 1933, to parents Jack and Emma Cogelia. Nick grew up in the inner city of Baltimore, with his brother Karl. He and his brother were first generation Americans for the Cogelia family. At an early age, Nick excelled in academics, which allowed for an early graduation from high school. At the young age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Navy where he served on a submarine, a cable laying ship, and on the heavy cruiser USS Des Moines during the Korean War as a radar operator. These experiences shaped his future career trajectory. Nick joined Bell Laboratories as an electrical engineer where he had a long and distinguished career, was awarded multiple patents, and received several recognitions for his contributions to the telecommunications industry. His life would become complete when he met his beloved wife, Mary Joan Bernard, at a church gathering. They married in 1963, at St. Rita's Catholic Church and started their family in Baltimore. As they raised their new family, Nick made the decision to further his education by attending Loyola College at night, after a long day's work at Bell Labs. He majored in mathematics and minored in physics. Nick was then transferred to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1972, and moved to Duluth where he resided for the remainder of his life. Lifelong friendships were established as well as new hobbies, such as deer hunting, were discovered. Nick's affinity for the outdoors was a passion he shared with his younger son, Mark. They had several seasons of successful hunting together throughout Georgia's hunting reserves. Nick found solace in the woods and enjoyed the awe of the landscape and peaceful surroundings. Upon retiring from AT&T, Nick accepted a consulting role with AT&T International and Western Electric Saudia Arabia, which allowed him to travel and live in several countries such as Germany, Ireland, England, Mexico, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. His unparalleled skill set brought additional consulting opportunities that kept him abroad. Nick finally retired, returning home to his family in Duluth. Nick had a passion for reading and devoured a myriad of books, newspapers, and periodicals. There was no topic that he would not happily welcome a spirited debate. History and theology were a particular interest for him. Nick always appreciated a thoughtful discussion, and he enjoyed sharing his favorite books and articles with friends and family. Nick also loved poetry and authored many of his own poems throughout his life. His family is grateful for the wisdom that he imparted to them over the years – from the importance of education to the value of investing and the love of family. His generous spirit, his integrity, his love of good food and drink and company will always be fondly remembered. Nick's family had the privilege of celebrating his 90th birthday this past October. The family will cherish these memories always and he will be dearly missed. Nick is survived by his son, Joseph, daughter-in-law, Kim, grandson, Michael; daughter, Jennifer, son-in-law, Edward, granddaughter, Sophie; daughter, Janine; son, Mark, daughter-in-law, Tammy; and daughter, Karen. A memorial service and burial will be held at a later date.
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