It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Donald Bruce Cofman, beloved husband of Oya, beloved father of Margolit and Tamara, on May 6, 2026.

Don Cofman was born in Mankato, Minnesota in November 1938, and grew up in Watertown, South Dakota and Colorado Springs, Colorado. He graduated from Palmer High School in Colorado Springs. After a few semesters, he walked away from a full scholarship at Colorado College to try his hand as a journalist, living several years in Washington State before returning to Colorado and finishing his bachelor’s degree at U-Colorado, Boulder. During that time, he honed his skills as a photographer, and his camera remained a lifelong friend.

After finishing college, Don moved to Washington DC and took his oath as a Foreign Service Officer at the US Information Agency, advancing mutual understanding between America and foreign audiences. His career took him to Turkey twice, as well as then-Communist Bulgaria, India, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Azerbaijan over thirty years of public service. He was the spokesman for the US Embassy in Israel from 1987 to 1991, providing media updates during peace negotiations, high-level visits, and the 1991 Gulf War, when Israel was under missile assaults by Saddam Hussein. He helped open the first US embassy in sovereign Azerbaijan after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He also served as the spokesman for the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau at the State Department in Washington, including during the Iran-Contra investigations.

Moving to Turkey after thirty years with the US government, Don helmed the Turkish American Association in Ankara before retiring to split his time between Bodrum, Turkey and Falls Church, Virginia. In Virginia, he met up regularly with his A-100 Foreign Service classmates for lunch and foreign policy discussion.

Don is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Oya Cofman; his brother Herb Cofman, his sister Barb Speck (Dan), his daughters Margolit Cofman Hillsberg (Geoff) and Tamara Cofman Wittes (Ben) and his five grandchildren, Jeremy (Ari), EJ, Eric, Gabriel, and Melina.

The funeral will take place on Thursday at 3pm at National Memorial Park, 7482 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA 22042. Shiva will be observed on Thursday evening at Oya’s home and from Friday onward at Tamara’s home.

The family encourages memorial gifts in lieu of flowers to Chabad Tysons or the Parkinson’s Foundation. Baruch Dayan Emet."

Services entrusted to Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care.