Hilda Marie (Pye) Cogan, age 87, a longtime resident of Winchester, passed away on August 23, 2023. Born in Cape Charles, Labrador, Newfoundland, she was the daughter of the late Clarence and Priscilla (Stone) Pye.
In Newfoundland, Hilda’s family life included hunting for their food and growing it in the garden, sewing their own clothes and other simplistic ways of life that contributed to her hard work ethic.
Hilda came to the United States when she was twelve-years old and her family settled in Melrose, where she was raised and educated before moving to Winchester. Her family owned a restaurant in Winchester, “Peg’s Coffee Shop”, where she spent a lot of time and learned some of their cooking techniques.
Hilda also worked as a nursing assistant, primarily providing private care to patients in their homes, although her main priority was raising her children in Winchester. An excellent cook, she loved feeding her family with the hearty comfort foods she had also enjoyed at her family’s restaurant, like beef stew. She also had a quick and witty sense of humor, for which she is fondly remembered.
Hilda is lovingly survived by her children: Mark Cogan and his longtime partner Christina Forcione, of Winchester, James Cogan, Jr. of Reading and his loving companion Karen Doucette of Stoneham, and Deborah Tierno and her husband Michael, of Woburn. She was the devoted grandmother of Lauren Tierno, her faithful caretaker, Cameryn Tierno, Kendall Cogan, Mackenzie Cogan, James Cogan III and Joseph Cogan. She was also the dear sister of Marilyn Pye, David Pye and his wife Vera, all of Labrador, Newfoundland, and the late Doris Pye and is further survived by many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services are private. If desired, donations in Hilda’s memory may be made the Shriner’s Burn Institute, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114. https://www.shrinerschildrens.org.