Joan Bradley Ogren

March 24, 1933 – August 2, 2018

Joan Bradley Ogren, (formerly Joan Bradley Cohen), died peacefully surrounded by family in Aldie, Virginia at the age of eighty-five.  She was pre-deceased by her husband, John Patrick ("Pat") Ogren, Captain, US Navy (Ret).    Joan will be interned at Arlington National Cemetery with Pat at 10 am on September 11, 2018.

Joan is survived by her three children, Teresa Cohen Kelley, (Lance) of Round Hill, VA, Mark Cohen, (Stasha) of Darien CT, and Douglas Cohen of Reston, VA.  Joan is also survived by her sister, Margaret "Peggy" Williams, her brother, William Bradley.  Joan remained close to her former husband, and dear friend, Harvey B. Cohen (Marina) of Mclean, VA.  Joan was adored by her seven grandchildren, Katherine Lamb (Justin), Alexandra Spooner (Capt. Steven Spooner, USMC), Danielle Gatling, Jonathan Gatling, Joseph Cohen, Jake Cohen, Zachary Cohen, and her first great grandchild, Lydia Spooner. Joan was happiest spending time with children and grandchildren at the backyard pool in Alexandria, and during the many summers spent in Rehoboth Beach, DE.

Joan loved to travel and lived a life of courage and many adventures.  The daughter of John and Esther (Fitzpatrick) Bradley, Joan was born on March 24, 1933 in [Milford], MA, the oldest of five siblings.    Her excellent academics drove her to an early high school graduation and enrollment at Emmanuel College in Boston at the young age of sixteen.  Graduating at only twenty years old, Joan left for her next great adventure, moving to Washington D.C. to start work at the National Security Agency (NSA) in 1954 as a cryptologist.

In the mid 1950's,  Washington was in the height of the cold war, and Joan was thrust into her demanding work as a code-breaker with NSA, translating - and decoding - foreign messages for the "good guys".  During these years, Joan commuted to work with other NSA staffers, including a young Pat Ogren, who typically saved the front seat for Joan.

In 1960, Joan Bradley married attorney Harvey B. Cohen, moved to Alexandria, VA, and dedicated herself to raising three children, boosting the Young Republicans, and spending free time antiquing and gardening.  By the mid 1970's, Joan was on her own again, and chaired the Alexandra Bicentennial Committee in 1975-76.  After a stint managing the Hermes department at Garfinckel's in Washington, she opened her own boutique in Alexandria, VA, the Great Gatsby, a vintage and specialty clothing shop.

In January 1989, some 30 years after commuting together to NSA, Pat walked back into Joan's life. They had dinner together, eventually married, and moved to Foxfire Village, NC, where they spent many happy and wonderful years together.  Joan returned to Virginia after Pat's passing to spend more time with her family.

Joan will be remembered as an elegant woman, who would light up the room with her smile, grace, and blue eyes.  She will be greatly missed, but often remembered, by her children, grandchildren, family and friends.