Sylvia Smith's Obituary
Sylvia Smith, wife of the late Jacob Smith, passed away at her home on August 15, 2016, her 99th birthday. Sylvia was born in New York City to Jack and Fannie Sussman, who immigrated to the U.S. from Eastern Europe in the early 20th century. She graduated from Hunter College, then the women’s adjunct to the highly selective City College of New York, as a biology major, and was elected to the biology honor society Phi Sigma. In 1943 she married Jacob Smith, whose severe asthma prevented him from serving in World War II and led to their settling in Tucson that same year. Her early life in Tucson was devoted to raising her 3 daughters; in her later years she volunteered in the Tucson Public Schools, working one-on-one with children with reading difficulties, and also worked with recent Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union to help them learn English. She was a long-time member of Congregation Anshei Israel, and was a supporter of multiple Jewish, environmental and medical organizations. She is survived by her daughters Susan Ellenberg (Jonas) of Philadelphia, Sheila Smith (William Raves) of Tucson, and Harriet Smith (Andrew Smith) of Tempe; six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Jacob, sister Shirley Youngerman of Tucson, and her brother Melvin Sussman of Philadelphia.
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