Obituary of Roddie Kaplan

Roddie Ellen Dobris Kaplan died peacefully in her Albany, New York home on Monday, August 26, 2019 at the age of 83.

A life-long resident of Albany, Roddie was the daughter of Shirley Dobris, a child immigrant from the Russian Empire, and John Dobris, a long-serving teacher and principal in the Albany City School District.  Roddie graduated from Ithaca College in 1957 and later received a master’s degree from the College of Saint Rose.  An educator and a speech pathologist, Roddie had a long career as a speech teacher, mostly in the Albany public schools.  In addition to teaching, where her efforts improved the lives of thousands of children with speech impediments, and especially after her retirement in 1997, Roddie enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren.  Always an avid reader in her spare time, late in her life Roddie also became an improbable fan of home remodeling television programs.

Roddie’s husband of more than half a century, Newton H. Kaplan, passed away in 2014.  She is survived by daughter Michelle Kaplan and her husband David Cohen of Scarsdale, New York, daughter Jennifer Kaplan of Oakland, California, son Matthew Kaplan and his wife Alejandra Kaplan of Arlington, Virginia, brother Steven Dobris of Farmington Hills, Michigan and grandchildren Joshua, Samuel and Olivia Cohen and Brian and Andrea Kaplan.  Roddie was predeceased by brothers Richard and Larry Dobris. 

Services will be held at the Beth Emeth Cemetery, 58 Turner Lane in Loudonville, NY on Friday, August 30 at 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations to The Community Hospice, communityhospice.org, or to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, alzinfo.org, are requested.