Below is the obituary for my mother, whose funeral was yesterday. It was a celebration of the life of a great lady. And below that is what was written when my dad died in 2005, because to write about one is really writing about both, two life stories melded into one by love and commitment and partnership and devotion and values of the highest order. Both Mom and Dad were the last survivors of the members of their generation in their families. Mother's parents immigrated from Hungary. Dad immigrated from Poland with his mother, father, brother and sister. Dad's father was a blacksmith. and Dad was a plumber. Together Mom and Dad represented the best of a truly amazing era in American history. In talking of the lives of their families over several decades, Mom was also telling a history of a way of living long ago that, among many other things, allowed much time for conversations with families and friends, and hearing her talk of this was mesmerizing because, despite her failing short term memory, Mother could describe in such great detail what happened 50, 60, 70 years ago that one could almost smell the colors of each of those moments. Many of you know that their financial support and, more important, their emotional support and confidence in me and my idea allowed me to start TEXAS MONTHLY. Of even greater value was their instilling in Jean and me and our daughters that love of family is everything, and that with hard work dreams can become reality. Mom and Dad's legacy is great. They will be missed. A lot.
Florence Ruth Levy passed away on Tuesday, February 3, 2009. She was born in Dallas in 1914 to Rose and Max Friedman, and was preceded in death by her husband of more than 60 years, Harry Aaron Levy, and her sisters Madeline Broude and Belle Brandt and her brother Ben Friedman. She is survived by her children Jean Karotkin and Mike Levy, her granddaughters Suzanne Karotkin, Tobin Levy, Mara Levy, and Rachel Levy, and her great granddaughters Lily and Sophie Goldberg. Although our mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend lived a wonderful and long life, it's hard to say goodbye. She was a real lady, phenomenal cook and consummate hostess. We will miss so many things: her heart of gold, her contagious and beautiful smile, her matzo brei, her magical rendition of "Shine on Harvest Moon," the fun she had at roulette and the slots and watching the ponies run. (Her son will really miss her chocolate and coconut meringue pies.)
Florence was always the first to laugh at anyone's jokes, no matter how horrible they might have been. She enjoyed reminiscing and sharing memories about her life, travels, and her true love, Harry, whom she met at a watermelon party. "Each piece of watermelon cost only fifteen cents!" Florence and Harry's partnership was strong, and taught all who knew them the value and importance of hard work and commitment to family and friends. Special thanks must be extended to the ER and ICU staffs at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center St. Paul, and to the staff at September Services for remarkable care-taking at her home, most especially Jane Littlefield, Silvera Thompson, Robin Gabriel, Barbara Cornelius, Ruby
Fuqua, Argylene McCullough, Caroline Cheathum, Del Petrus, and Gloria Alexander. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dallas chapters of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Association or the American Diabetes Association. Services and interment, with Rabbi David Stern of Temple Emanu-El officiating, will be at 4pm on Thursday at Sparkman-Hillcrest in Dallas. Pallbearers will include nephews John Broude and Sonny Friedman and cousin
Barry Hoffman. |
