I will always remember you as a woman who MADE YOUR OWN LIFE. You lived independently and did your own thing.
We know you had a difficult childhood living in the years before and during the depression.
I know you were always a hard worker. You were close with your mother's side of the family - the Levinson-Rubin clan.
This led to your work at Levinson Steel. You worked your way up to a management position.
During those years you spent much of your time caring for your parents. You were a dutiful daughter to them.
I unfortunately never knew my Grandmother - Anna, but I vividly remember my Grandfather - Meir. It was in your home that I would visit him when I was a young girl. I remember how you cared for him and the patience you showed toward him.
I think the two most important things in your life were your family and sports.
First I want to talk about sports. You were and are a true role model to any young girl today striving towards athletics. I understand that badminton was the sport you excelled in the most. You also loved swimming and golf.
When I was in my teens and college years I would love visiting you and hearing about all the sports competitions you would go to. In my eyes you were the STAR CHAMPION of Senior Olympics. We would go back into your bedroom and open one of the bottom drawers. You would show me all the medals you had won in the various competitions. You would explain the details of the evens and what the different awards were. I remember how proud of all this you were. As I look back on those days - you were doing what you loved and enjoying yourself.
I know that you played golf often and were a swimmer. In fact you always motivated me to get into swimming - which I now love! Sometimes we would go swimming together at the JCC. You were always ready to go and do things with us. If Jeff called you to go swim with him and the kids (Heather and Michael) when they were little - you were always read and happy to go. You really enjoyed playing with Heather and Michael.
The second thing you spend much of your time doing was keeping in touch with your relatives. You were involved in all the "Cousin's Club" activities. When I'd visit we'd go through all the pictures on your table. You would tell me again and again who each cousin was, who their children were and what they were doing. You had an incredible interest in all of this and an incredible memory. I considered you the Family Historian. You would pull out the Family Tree and go through it all with me. I was fascinated by it all and the fact that you could keep track of it. You were proudhere as well. Proud of who you were and where you came from.
Thanks to you and your love of keeping in touch with family - I was able to become close with our cousins in Israel. Your Father used to to write to them and then you took over. This was your first cousin and their family in Israel.
I never got to meet your first cousin - but I got to know my second cousins - quite well. When Yehoshua (your first cousin Batia's husband) came to New Jersey - you and my Father drove to New Jersey just to visit him for the day. I think my Dad realized how important this connection was for you.
Finally I cherish your optimism. When it came to us - your two nephews (Jeff and Craig) and me your niece - you were fun, positive, and optimistic. We never had to prove anything to you - we could just be ourselves. We could tell you about our lives and you were thrilled. Aunt Shirley, I admire the courage you had to live an independent life - the way you saw fit. You never judged others and had a positive outlook about people and places around you.
Over the last few year - when I would visit you were sick and weren't quite sure who I was. But when I'd remind you that I was Al's daughter you'd seem to remember. But what I remember and what I'll try to learn from you was how you'd smile and say, "BOY, I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU PEOPLE." Then you'd ask me how I was.
That was how you were. You lived a sometimes very difficult life - but you made the best of what life had to offer you and always - until your final days lived life with a SMILE.