Obituary of Mona Helene Lipofsky Rabineau

Dr Mona Helene (Lipofsky) Rabineau died at home aged 91 on Tuesday 28 April 2020 at NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham, MA. Her death was not COVID19-related. Mona was born in New Haven, CT, the youngest child of Russian immigrants Isidore and Gertrude (Casher) Lipofsky. She was a graduate of Simmons College, Radcliffe College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education - and went on to teach at NYU, Wesleyan University, Trinity College, the University of Denver and the University of Maine. The philosophy and history of education were her pet subjects, and she believed strongly in the value of the arts to enhance the study of English. The daughter of a suffragist, Mona was concerned with progressive politics and believed that education, shelter and healthcare were basic human rights. Time spent as a postgraduate Research Scholar at the University of Manchester (England) woke in Mona a life-long love of Britain and Ireland, which she visited as often as possible. A voracious reader, she particularly enjoyed the works of UK and Irish novelists and poets, and subscribed to The Guardian newspaper from 1960 onwards. She also admired the British Welfare State immensely. She made life-long friends at Harvard – including her college roommate and the professor who introduced Mona to her husband of 50 years, Albany-born Dr Louis Rabineau – which made their 2010 move back to the Boston area so easy. Intelligent, warm-hearted, calm and quick to laugh, Mona was beloved by her family, friends and colleagues alike. She is survived and much missed by her daughter Elizabeth Rabineau of London, England, Elizabeth’s partner Bart Cornelis and Mona’s many nieces and nephews (and their children). Mona was predeceased by her husband, as well as by her brother Herbert Lewis, sister Rhoda Cahn and nephew Daniel Cahn. Services will be held at Beth Abraham-Jacob Cemetery, Western Avenue in Albany, NY on Thursday 30 April at 1:30pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the ACLU, theguardian.org or Simmons University (Boston). The family would like to thank Dr Steven Van Dam, the staff of NewBridge on the Charles and the many wonderful caregivers who looked after her.