21 December 2007

Obituary of Mary Coogan
(extracted from "New York Times", 22 SEP 1939, PAGE 30):


MRS. MELVIN COOGAN

Only Woman Listed as Member 
of Flatlands Legion Post

Mrs. Mary Coogan, wife of Melvin (Mel) Coogan, at one time a
leading contender for the lightweight boxing title, and the
only woman member of Flatlands Post, 391, American Legion,
died on Wednesday at her home, 1,045 East Twenty-ninth
Street, Brooklyn.  Her age was 45.

During the World War she served as a yeomanette in the navy
and it was while stationed at Newport, R. I., that she married
Mr. Coogan, then a navy boxing instructor, also stationed at
Newport.  Her service in the navy made her eligible for 
membership in the Legion post rather than the auxiliary.