Lee R. Cosens

United States Army Specialist and Bradenton Police Department Officer Lee R. Cosens passed away on April 16, 2023 after his battle with service-related cancer.

Cosens was born in Petoskey, Michigan and raised in Harbor Springs, Michigan surrounded by family. He had a very close relationship with his grandparents and loved to play outside. Additionally, he began hunting at a young age and spent much of his childhood playing ice hockey, baseball, and football. Later on, Cosens and his wife, Amy, met at a local restaurant and hit it off immediately. The pair knew very soon after meeting that they would likely end up together.

Having felt as though having a positive impact on others was his calling, Cosens aspired to be a police officer. In September of 2007, he joined the US Army as a military police officer. In this role, he was able to make a difference both on base and overseas in South Korea and Afghanistan. After his honorable discharge, Cosens was hired almost immediately with the Bradenton Police Department in October of 2012 and quickly became a well-respected officer who others turned to for advice and support. He loved the brotherhood of both the military and law enforcement and built lasting friendships and supportive relationships with many of his coworkers. Cosens’ goal was always to make a difference and help as many people as possible. Prior to his military and law enforcement careers, he was a firefighter, always first in line to help others and had the gift of being receptive to the needs of others. Throughout his honorable career, Cosens was awarded with an Army Commendation Medal, an Army Achievement Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Bradenton Elks Lodge #1511 Police Officer of the Year, among many others. In March of 2021, Cosens was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic renal cell carcinoma, attributed to his service. Although he began treatment as quickly as possible and endured more than 25 rounds of various treatments, the cancer progressed quickly and he sadly passed away on April 16, 2023, one day before his 40th birthday.

Amy and her two daughters currently reside in Florida. Her most beloved hobby is running, having participated in numerous road races in her area prior to her husband’s diagnosis. She promised Cosens she would not stop running when he passed away. They loved to spend time outside, especially at the beach, where the water has always been a happy place for their family. Additionally, Amy is in her 18th year as a classroom teacher at a Title 1 elementary school where she teaches English as a second language and works regularly with students who are brand new to our country. In the future, she hopes to find her voice in helping veterans and their families who need support navigating VA health care, claim appeals, and more. She also is looking forward to honoring her husband’s life by continuing to make memories with her young daughters and do everything she can to keep their father’s memory alive for them as they grow up. Receiving the donation of a mortgage-free home from Tunnel to Towers is what Amy describes as life changing. As it was incredibly important to Cosens that she and the girls keep living life, making memories, and keep “doing the things,” as they called it, a donation would allow them to live without worrying about the potential impact of financial hardship. It is Amy’s goal to give her girls a childhood filled with joy, even while dealing with the unbearable pain of losing their father. Finally, Amy would like others to know that her husband loved life, adventures they took as a family, being a dad, and a police officer. Cosens never let cancer slow him down and as a family, they made a lifetime of memories before he passed away. He is severely missed.

United States Army Specialist and Bradenton Police Department Officer Lee R. Cosens is survived by his loving wife, Amy, and his beautiful daughters, aged seven and nine.