Obituary of Florence R. Schwartz

FLORENCE ROSNER SCHWARTZ (age 88) passed away peacefully on Monday, October 27, 2014, at Bethlehem Commons in Delmar, NY where she had resided for eleven years. She was the beloved wife of David Schwartz of 64 years, and devoted mother of Michael Schwartz (of blessed memory), Stephen Schwartz, Eric (Ellen) Schwartz, and Gayle Ann (Michael) Pocalyko. Florence is survived by her husband David, her sisters Lena Rosner and Rose Kaplan, and is predeceased by sisters Ceil Posner and Sophie Sisser. She was the proud grandmother of Carlyn and Graig Pocalyko, and of Joshua and Aaron Schwartz. Florence was born and raised in Braddock, PA, where she resided before moving to Washington, DC where she became an employee of the Federal government. She interrupted her service to raise her children and to then care for her mother, followed by caring for her father-in-law. After she retired, she delighted in helping with childcare for her grandchildren, Carlyn and Graig. Although a native English speaker and a rigorous grammarian, Florence was enthralled with Spanish culture and language. She was a voracious reader of Spanish literature and thrilled to Flamenco guitar. Her tastes in music were eclectic, ranging from Ella Fitzgerald’s jazz vocals, to Luciano Pavarotti’s operatic tenor, and to Andres Segovia’s masterful classical Spanish guitar work. Despite being wheelchair bound by a stroke in her early 70’s, Florence remained intellectually active: reading, working crossword puzzles with the help of her husband David, and keeping up on her family’s doings and the current events of her community and the world at large. Florence will be interred at the King David Memorial Gardens in Falls Church, VA. Shiva will be held in Albany at the home of her son, Eric. In lieu of sending flowers, friends and family are encouraged to make donations to the Bethlehem Commons at Good Samaritan Village, 125 Rockefeller Road, Delmar, NY 12054. Florence experienced many years of loving care and friendship there, and collected fond memories of both staff and fellow residents who became her extended family and community.