Irene D Silverman's Obituary
Rene was born to Jack and Natalie Rubin in September of 1932, seven years after her sister, Carol. Rene grew up in Utica, NY. She completed one year of college, and worked for a time for the local Jewish Family Services.
She met her husband Ted on a blind date that they went on with a group of other young people, and Ted must have liked her from the start, because he called to ask her out shortly afterwards. Their first date was a hayride, which might have been a rather frosty, winter experience. When they got engaged, Rene was only 19 and Ted 21. It must have been true love because their engagement survived Ted being sent to Korea for 18 months. They were finally married August 9, 1953.
The couple stayed in their hometown of Utica, and eventually Deborah was born in 1956 and Abbye was born in 1958.
In 1963, Ted, who was a salesman for a printing company, got a transfer to California, and the family moved to Santa Monica.
They lived in Santa Monica until 1995, and when Ted retired, Ted and Rene moved to Tucson.
Ted and Rene loved to travel, and after Ted’s retirement traveled a great deal. They were active members of Temple Emanu-El for many years, attending services and attending many adult education classes. Ted was an active member of the Temple choir until his memory issues made it too difficult for him to sing. Rene saw him through that last illness, until his death in 2013.
Rene’s family remember her as feisty, smart, witty, opinionated, kind, generous and opinionated. Rene was the kind of mom who made great Halloween costumes for her kids, laboring over them for hours.
Irene was her own person, and evidently, wasn’t too worried about what other people thought. Abbye remembers that she and Deborah would be sent off to summer camp with big trunks in the summer, and when they and the trunks came home, Rene would sort all their laundry on the front lawn. Rene obviously didn’t care if the neighbors were scandalized.
She was always up on the news; reading the paper version of the NY Times every day. She was an avid reader until the last year or so of her life, when she discovered and became addicted to Netflix.
Rene loved her family, and was a devoted wife to Ted for all the years they were together. We will remember forever Rene’s generosity and kindness, her sense of humor, and her welcoming spirit.
What’s your fondest memory of Irene?
What’s a lesson you learned from Irene?
Share a story where Irene's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Irene you’ll never forget.
How did Irene make you smile?
