Obituary of Edith Schwaber

Mrs.​ ​Edith​ ​Schwaber,​ ​93,​ ​passed​ ​away​ ​peacefully​ ​on​ ​Jan​ ​5,​ ​2017​ ​in​ ​Tampa,​ ​FL​. Mrs. Schwaber lived and raised her family in Schenectady, NY for 56 years, ​before relocating​ ​to​ ​Tampa​ ​with​ ​her​ ​husband,​ ​Sidney,​​ 16​ ​years​ ​ago. Mrs.​ ​Schwaber,​ ​formerly​ ​Edith​ ​Paley,​ ​was​ ​born​ ​on​ ​July​ ​6,​ ​1923​ ​to​ ​David​ ​and​ ​Sarah​ ​Paley​ ​in Bronx,​ ​NY,​ ​where​ ​she​ ​and​ ​her​ ​three​ ​sisters, Esther, Rosalind and Maxine,​ ​were​ ​raised.​ ​​ ​She​ ​graduated​ ​from​ ​James​ ​Monroe High​ ​School​ ​with​ ​top​ ​academic​ ​honors. After her graduation in 1940, she immediately went to work to help support her widowed mother and her sisters. Her deepest regret was to not have had the opportunity to further her formal education because she saw higher education as a way to better oneself, not just in a material way, but as a way of gaining a larger understanding of how to help others less fortunate. Mrs.​ ​Schwaber​ ​was​ ​married​ ​to​ ​Dr.​ ​Sidney​ ​Schwaber,​ ​a​ ​prominent​ ​Schenectady​ ​optometrist​ ​for 56​ ​years.​ ​​ ​She​ ​was​ ​a​ ​devoted​ ​wife,​ ​mother,​ ​grandmother,​ ​great-grandmother,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​loving and influential matriarch​ ​to​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​Schwaber​ ​family.​ ​​ ​Mrs.​ ​Schwaber​ ​identified​ ​strongly​ ​with​ ​her​ ​Jewish heritage,​ ​was​ ​a​ ​staunch​ ​supporter​ ​of​ ​numerous​ ​charities​ ​and​ ​the​ ​state​ ​of​ ​Israel,​ ​and​ ​she was​ ​an ardent​ ​leader​ ​and​ ​congregant​ ​of​ ​Beth​ ​Israel​ ​Synagogue​ ​in​ ​Schenectady. Mrs. Schwaber tirelessly committed her entire adult life to charitable activities and fundraising events for the congregation and was proud of being the first woman to hold an office on the board of Congregation Beth Israel. Mrs. Schwaber was a voracious reader of history, contemporary world events, and an extensive variety of fiction and non-fiction. She loved to use her expert cooking and baking talents, to the benefit of her family, friends, and fellow congregants. A truly dedicated and compassionate person, Mrs. Schwaber gave her time and efforts selflessly to underprivileged and sick people throughout the community. In consonance with the essential values of Torah, she lived her life with faith, compassion, and an enduring pursuit of justice. However, spending time with her family was, without a doubt, her greatest joy. Mrs. Schwaber ​was​ ​predeceased​ ​by​ ​her​ ​beloved​ ​husband,​ ​Sidney​ ​and​ ​sister​ ​Mrs.​ ​Maxine​ ​Grau.​​ ​She​ ​is survived​ ​by​ ​her​ ​five​ ​devoted​ ​children;​ ​Dr.​ ​David​ ​Schwaber​ ​(Barbara),​ ​Steven​ ​Schwaber​ ​(Ilene), Lois​ ​Pasternack​ ​(Dr.​ ​Jonathan),​ ​Susan​ ​Okun​ ​(Dr.​ ​Seth),​ ​and​ ​Robert​ ​Schwaber​ ​(Loureen),​ ​as well​ ​as​ ​sisters​ ​Mrs.​ ​Esther​ ​Basch​ ​and​ ​Mrs.​ ​Roslyn​ ​Treatman.​ ​​ ​She​ ​leaves​ ​eleven cherished grandchildren; Dr. Lauren Melman (Dr. David), Adam Schwaber (Stephanie), Justin Schwaber, Russel Schwaber, Andrew Schwaber, Jonathan Warner (Meg), Samuel Warner (Rachel), Michele Schwartz (Mitchell), Jared Okun (Dr.Brett Abarbanel), Eric Schwaber, and Alexandra Schwaber. She also leaves​ ​eight​ ​great-grandchildren; Jonah, Amelia and Eliza Melman, Julia Schwaber, Norah Schwaber, and Sidney, Pearl, and Isidore Schwartz. She also leaves her beloved companion and friend Mrs. Joan Rios, whose constant devotion to “My Edie” suffused joy and love into every single day. ​A service will be held on Tuesday, Jan 10 at 1pm at Beth Israel Cemetery, Abbottsford Rd in Rotterdam. After the service, family and friends are invited to a reception at Cong Beth Israel on Eastern Pkwy. Suggested memorial​ ​donations​ can be​ ​made​ ​to​ ​Congregation Beth​ ​Israel​ ​(bethisraelschenectady.com)​ ​or​ ​Weinberg​ ​Village (weinbergvillage.org).