Betty Lublin

Obituary of Betty T. Lublin

Betty T. Lublin 94, a retired teacher loved by many, passed away April 19, 2020.

 

She is survived by her children Joann, Glenn, Pete and Toni along with her grandchildren Dan and Abra Pollock plus her greatgrandchildren Isabel, Theodore and Beatrice Pollock.

 

A private burial service was held at Chapel Hill Memorial Park in Largo,  Rabbi Michael Torop and Cantor Pamela Siskin, officiated.  The service was livestreamed on Zoom, 1 PM Tuesday, April 21, 2020. A video tribute of the service can be viewed at the bottom of this obituary, along with  eulogies that were read at the service.

 

Betty Friedman was born on July 22, 1925 and raised in Cleveland Ohio as the youngest of six children.  She spent three years at New York University before she transferred to Case Western Reserve University where she got her bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology.

 

She married Irving Lublin in 1948 following a whirlwind courtship.  Speaking of doing everything fast, they became parents for the first nine months after their wedding. 

 

Equipped with a Master’s Equivalency certificate from Adelphi University, Betty worked in special education for 22 years.  During that time, she designed an outdoor program where children with special needs could camp out together for a few nights every year.  Her article on the experience later appeared in Instructors magazine. 

 

She taught Sunday School at her synagogue while her kids were growing up and was an active Hadassah member for decades.  She continued to substitute teach in public schools until she turned 80.

 

Betty was a great cook, whipping up scrumptious blintzes, chicken soup and cabbage rolls. 

 

She played bridge for many years and alsowas adept at crafts.  Her artistic pieces ranged from needlepoint tablecloths and crochet afghans to ceramic Challah plates.

 

Throughout her life, Betty gave all of herself to her family, her career and her Jewish faith.  She made a very positive impact on everyone she touched.

 

Betty and Irv traveled extensively, including throughout Europe.  During a special trip to Israel with family members, they participated in a tree planting project in regions that highly needed trees.  It was a very meaningful and profound trip that she never forgot.  That’s also why Betty’s family would like donations in her memory to go to the Jewish National Fund,

 

http://usa.jnf.org/jnf-tree-planting-center/select-a-certificate.html?occasion=in-memory&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqvzDsMD16AIVhMDICh2-RwKwEAAYBCAAEgJ9E_D_BwE

 

Betty asked that this poem,“A Request,” be read at her funeral service:

 

            God grant me to live a long life

            Not so much to keep me from death.

            But to seize the times I missed

            In the abandoned rush of my life

            To do rather than to be.

 

            Let me capture the moments

            I have allowed to sift through my days

            Like sand through a clenched fist.

 

            Let me see my fill of

                        Daybreaks and sunsets

                        Flowers and fields

                        Laughter and play

                        Poetry and music

                        Love and tears.

 

            Let me hold my children

                        Dance with my grandchildren and greatgrandchildren

                        Kiss the morning

                        Caress the day

                        Embrace the night.

 

            Allow me to enter the rest of my days,

            However long you may give me,

            To see life as a mystery to be

            Lived rather than a problem to be solved.

 

            Grant me the contentment to realize

            When I die that I have fully lived.

 

EULOGIES:

 

Eulogy for Betty Lublin, by granddaughter Abra Pollock (4.19.20)

 

To me, Nannie was pure love.  As a small child, we’d drive or fly to Silver Spring to visit her and Pop Pop for holidays.  The home is situated at the dead end of a long street, and finally arriving always felt magical to me—like arriving at the end of the yellow brick road.  Nannie would stand at the door to welcome us with hugs, kisses, and exclamations of joy, and enticing smells from the kitchen. 

Nannie’s role as family matriarch was #1 Caretaker and mother hen.  She always made sure you got enough to eat.  The breakfasts I ate at Nannie’s were lavish—OJ, sliced cantaloupe and berries, toasted bagels, Pop Pop’s egg and onion, yogurt, and oh by the way, did you want some cereal, too? 

Nannie always worried about you: your job, your health, your love life, and was Europe really safe for Jewish Americans to study abroad right now?  This too, was a part of her love for us.  In college, I when I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I felt like I finally had a missing piece to the puzzle, and some understanding of why Nannie always did so much extra worrying.

I was with Nannie at her condo in St. Pete the night she slipped and hit her head while walking to the front door to let in our family members.  I always felt guilty that I hadn’t offered to get the door that night—as though I could have prevented the chain of events that ultimately led to the end of her living independently and moving into Allegro, an assisted living facility.  But the truth is that frailty and decline come for all of us, if we’re lucky enough to grow old.  I only hope that my visits and phone calls in her final years brought Nannie some comfort and joy—the way hers did for me, as I came into my own in the world. 

There is no doubt in my mind that I would not be the person I am today without Nannie’s steadfast love.

 

Eulogy for Betty Lublin, by grandson Dan Lublin Pollock (4.19.20)

Dan’s eulogy: I’m five years old. In the kitchen closet of the house on Fair Oak Drive, there is room to hide among brooms, mops, phone books and onions. The hand-written lines on the wall show my increasing height over the years. Through the slats of the door I can see Nannie cooking chicken noodle soup. It smells fantastic! Today, she drove me in her enormous brown Chevy and gave me bubble gum for the first time. It’s pink and tastes of endless possibilities.

Nannie was delighted to be a great grandmother and cried each time we announced a new pregnancy. As she held Isabel, Theodore or Beatrice, I marveled at the generations connecting across three centuries. Nannie’s hands had touched 19th century ancestors –her grandparents from the “old country”; her hands held those of my kids, who themselves could be grandparents around the year 2100. 

Our precious memories of Nannie are of tight hugs, of smells of delicious foods, and stories of our family and rich, Jewish traditions. My two oldest children loved their G-Nannie very much and have promised to teach Beatrice about her. We are so grateful that God gave her time to join us for a Zoom Seder.

Family was paramount to her and the most important wisdom she imparted to us was “Be there for each other, in good times and bad times.” In really dark times like these, her memory shines brightly and will help get us through it.  

All our love, hugs, and kisses Nannie. We miss you already.

 

DAUGHTER TONI LUBLIN

 

My Precious Mom, Betty Lublin

 

I consider time to be precious and even more so now as I sit next to my sweet mama stroking her soft silvery hair.  As my mom transitions into her final stages of her blessed life journey, I yearn for more time with her.  Minutes, hours or days are not enough as I think ahead of a time not being able to kiss her cheek and tell her I love her so much.  I don’t want her to go, yet I know I can’t stop time.

 

Ever since moving mom to Atlanta five years ago, she has brightened my days.  I know she has been happy to have me close to her.  She has played her motherly role to sweetly worry about me at every moment and I loved the warmth she gave me that I was truly a concern in her life.

She always would express her concern about me. “Are you ok?” “How is your job?” “Do you have a boyfriend?” “How do you feel?” A mother’s unconditional love and genuine concern is something you can never replace.

Mom has always been there for me.  She has been a constant figure in my life who Icould confide inand offered wise advice.  Her caring nature, genuine interest in others and beautiful smile made her well loved by all who knew her.  Mom has had a long full life with many experiences and always on the go even in her 90s.  Her life was anchored around family along with my Dad, who both were loving parents, grandparents and great grandparents. 

I will always miss my mama but I know I will always carry her spirit in my heart.  Time can never take that away.

 

 

SON - Glenn Lublin’s eulogy for Mom

 

Mom:  I am very sorry you are gone.  Though I have not seen you in ten years due to my ill health, I know that you were always there for me.

            I remember the good times I had with you and Dad when I was young -- especially my Bar Mitzvah in Syosset, New York.  I also remember how we would celebrate Hanukah and other holidays. Other good times occurred when we went on family vacations to the Catskills.  

Your cooking always was the best!  I especially liked your chopped liver, egg salad, chicken noodle soup and lamb chops. 

I got interested in playing bridge from watching you and Dad play bridge at the Woodbury Country Club.  You also often had your friends over to play.   And you were so proud when I became a bridge life master at the age of 22.  

I am really going to miss you.  Rest in peace.  

 

SON – PETE LUBLIN

 

What a time to pass away with this pandemic virus.."gam ze yaavor" which means "this too shall pass"

Thank you for all coming to our mom's funeral. 

My mom was born in Cleveland Ohio in July 1925.She would tell me stories about Shaker Heights, where she grew up. Mom would tell me how she went to high school with Paul Newman. She loved his blue eyes

I will miss my mom so much, as she was such a good mentor to me. At 87 years old, my mom traveled from Florida to Maryland to visit me in the hospital. How many mothers would do that?

I learned many things from my mom. She taught me how to tie my shoes, cook (loved her matzoball soup) clean, and helped me with my homework. She was everything, she was my mother!

Mom had a full life, took many trips with my dad, played lots of bridge, had some squabbles, but always made up.  My mom has completed the whole circle of life on earth.  Now on to the next plateau, heaven,where one day we will be together again. Love you mom!

 

 

DAUGHTER - Joann’s Eulogy for her Mom, Betty

 

            I learned everything I know about being a good mother from you.

            I remember standing up in my bed at age four while you hugged me good night and sang me a lullaby.   “Now you dream of me and I’ll dream of you,’’ you crooned.   You sang the same sweet lyrics again for me a few months ago – and I videotaped them for your three greatgrandchildren.

            You showed me how a mother can work and raise a family by teaching part-time when I was small.  

You continued to worry about me once I reached adulthood.    “Put on a sweater,’’ you urged.  “I feel cold.”

            During my first pregnancy, you suggested that I give up journalism and become a teacher like you so I could spend summers with my child.  But you also respected my decision to keep pursuing my journalistic career.

            After I became a grandmother years later, you sent me a note that I’ll always treasure.  “You are part of the sorority – a beautiful one to be sure,’’ you wrote.  You then added, “You are my life.’’

            Mom, you will always be a huge part of my life.  And I’ll miss you forever

 

 

Eulogy for G-Nannie, written by Isabel Barbara Pollock, on behalf of Betty’s 3 great-grandchildren.

I was so grateful to know my great grandmother when all my friends had lost theirs at early age.

All that g nannie wanted was for me and Theodore to actually remember her and we do. Maybe Beatrice not so much but we will pass down the memory to Beatrice and in later years that are yet to come when Beatrice asks ‘Izzy what was great grandma like’  I will respond-

‘She was amazing and great, and she was kind and enjoyable and most of all I loved her so much. I would give so much to hug her one last time. She would hug me tight and warmly and would say ‘oh Izzy, I love you so much look how you’ve grown!’ All those moments with her I took for granted. Now I realize why she would kiss me about a hundred times.

From a sedar call on Friday I could tell something was wrong, we saw g nannie laying down in her bed at my great aunt Tony’s place and that was when I knew that my days with her could end very soon.

G nannie was such a great-grandmother and I will always remember her in my heart.

I was in my bed my dad came in and woke me up he was calm, he laid down beside me and said through calm but sad words, ‘G nannie died last night’ he started to tear up and I followed I could not bear to think that she was no more. But that was when I remembered all the moments with her that I toke for granted her love and her kisses.

When we went down stair to breakfast my brother Theodore looked fine but yet again my mother looked a little sad and of course Beatrice had no idea what had happened. When my father whispered in my ear ‘Theodore doesn’t know yet we will tell him later’.

It occurred to me, that was probably a good plan so I didn’t speak a word to him about the topic. That night while my dad was grilling, memories of g nannie and me sprawled back in my mind I started to cry a little knowing I would never see her again.

I have never been to a funeral before and I never wanted to be g nannie’s but it had to be.

I will remember her forever in my heart.

Thank You, for listening from Isabel

 

 

The care of Betty and her family have been entrusted to David C. Gross Funeral Home in St. Petersburg.

Tuesday
21
April

Private Graveside Service

1:00 pm
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Chapel Hill Memorial Park
12905 Wild Acres Road
Largo, Florida, United States

Eulogies

Please see Eulogy Tributes for Betty at the bottom of this obituary
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