As you all know, my mom died on February 26th. In honor of today being four months since she died* (How the heck has it been four months already?), I wanted to post her obituary taken verbatim from the LA Times for those of you who haven’t read it yet:
(* Since she died so late at night on February 26th, I just mark the months by the 27th of each month.)
Sima Rae Stanley
February 2, 1947 – February 26, 2023
Sima was born on February 2, 1947 in Mt. Clemens, Michigan to Joseph Frank and Mildred (Savodnik) Juliar. After growing up in Michigan, she attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for her BA and MSW. However, she wasn’t able to find a job after graduation, so she moved to Israel for 7 years where she started her 40-year-long social work career.
Once she came back from Israel, she found work at Ventura County Behavioral Health, where she worked with foster youth for over 30 years. She was offered promotions, but never took them because she wanted to continue working with kids.
Sima did not like sitting still. She retired on a Friday (the day after her 65th birthday) and that Monday she started training to be a docent at the Museum of Tolerance. Three years later, she started training to be a docent at the Skirball Cultural Center. She continued with both of these positions until the advent of Covid in March 2020. As a docent at the Museum of Tolerance, Sima worked more hours per year than almost anyone else.
Sima was also a creative person. She sewed beautiful, individualized tote bags for family and friends. She and her husband, Bob, took art classes where they both learned to paint, but she went on to paint extraordinary copies of the masters that would be almost indistinguishable from the originals.
Sima also loved kids. She and Bob married a little bit later in their lives, and she would have loved to have had a lot of kids. But as it turned out, nature only allowed her one.
Sima is survived by her husband of 37 years, Bob, her daughter Rebecca, her brothers Michael and Paul, and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association.
And here is the important song: “When I’m Sixty-Four” by The Beatles. This was my parents’ song; the printout of the lyrics are still on our fridge and have been there for years.
Your mom made a difference in the lives of many people over the years, as a social worker. May her memory be for a blessing.
ReplyDelete