Our Deepest Sympathies:
* Lilly Rattner Shirey, 87 – May 11, 2020, Boynton Beach, FL
Lilly passed away at her daughter’s home. Sassy yet charming to the end, Lilly was extremely proud of her Deaf heritage, and was undeterred in her belief that all Deaf children deserve access to American Sign Language. During her lifetime, Lilly worked in the private and public sectors. Her favorite jobs were with the captioned films office at Fanwood and as a teacher’s aide at the American School for the Deaf. Her last job, as a tour guide for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, gave her immense pleasure as she met and provided tours of FBI headquarters to people from around the world. She also taught American Sign Language, and served as a tutor for the Shared Reading Project in Washington, D.C. She was born in Vienna, Austria . At the age of eight, as soon as her family received all the necessary documents, they fled Vienna for Genoa, Italy to board a ship, the S.S. Rex, in spring 1940. The family settled in the Bronx. Lilly and her older sister, Nelly Rattner Myers, quickly adjusted to life in their adopted country. She attended Lexington School for the Deaf, Textile High School and much later in life, achieved her lifelong goal of attending Gallaudet University, where she was a member of the Class of 1985. She embraced the arts and attended numerous performances. She was an accomplished actress as well, performing in productions of A Play of Our Own, Parts 1 and 2, and Tales of a Clubroom. She was also an avid viewer of the Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss World pageants, and served as director of the Miss Deaf Connecticut and Miss Deaf Maryland pageants, and as sponsor for those states’ representatives to the NAD Miss Deaf America Pageant. An ardent sports fan, Lilly loved the Brooklyn Dodgers, and played hooky from school to witness the Subway Series. After she moved to Florida, she became a loyal fan of the Miami Heat. She played basketball for the Blue Swan team in New York when she was a young adult, and became a tenpin bowler and hiked with the WYZ Adventure Club later in life. In retirement, she played bocce, canasta, and mah jongg. As someone who escaped the horrors of the Holocaust, Lilly vowed that we should never forget. She put together albums, wrote articles, was interviewed, and gave presentations to share what she and her family experienced during the Holocaust as Deaf Jews. Throughout her life, Lilly stressed the value of giving back to the community and passed the importance of volunteering to her children. She planted the seed for the founding of the Junior National Association of the Deaf (Jr. NAD) Metro New York City chapter, and helped to found the New York-based Mental Health Association of the Deaf. Lilly is survived by four children: June Ellen McMahon (Robert Peter McMahon), Janet Sue Rothenberg Weinstock (Michael Harry Weinstock), Andrew Albert Berke, and Michele G. Berke (Thomas Kay Holcomb) and four grandchildren, Jamie Michael Weinstock, Jessica Ann Berke, Joshua Matthew Weinstock, and Troy David Holcomb. A virtual celebration of Lilly’s life will be held on Sunday, June 14th at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. Memorial contributions may be made to the Gallaudet University Alumni Association (GUAA) or the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). “Lilly’s journey has come to an end but her legacy continues…” Source: Janet Sue Weinstock Facebook
Proud Parents
- Shiya Kanyu Kasher-Hoffer – March 29, 2020 – Alaska
Proud parents Hinda Kasher & Kyle Hoffer - Isabella Rose Berke – May 6, 2020 – California
Proud parents Michelle Silvers & David Berke and big brother Hunter - Baila Soudakoff – May 9, 2020 – Israel
Proud parents Cheftziba Asaayag and Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff
WE ACCEPT ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS…
BIRTHS
ENGAGEMENTS
WEDDINGS
SYMPATHIES
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A donation would be welcome.
