Cecelia K. Maisel

Daniel Maisel

534w ago

She was about to secure a local teaching job when the opportunity for me to manage a laboratory in Belgium arose and , as was her want, put aside these ambitions, to accompany me to make a home in this foreign land. It did not take her long to become involved in the American Womens' Club there and to become associated with a newly formed Liberal Jewish Congregation there. There we spent four exciting and happy years before returning to New Jersey. After our return Sis was interested in the welfare of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Even over distances, when we moved to retire in Florida, she remained fiercely devoted to our growing and beautiful family .She also maintained an active life here as many of you know in the Jewish Women's Club, in synagogue activities and in our Indian Spring society. Finally I admire her courage when earlier this year we received the sad news about her inoperable cancer. But with her wonderful strength of character she declined risky surgery to spend the rest of her time with us as long as she was able and now she has left us. We will all miss her friendship and I will miss her most of all when I begin a life I never envisioned without her by my side for her advice a guidance. She was , however, always convinced that we will all meet in some form of afterlife and I most earnestly hope she was right. Some time ago I wrote a little poem which we agreed might be appropriate for our funerals and I would like to close with this little effort which perhaps expresses . what my beloved Cecelia was really about. When my life is done and I achieve eternal rest It would be nice to know what I have done that is good and what is best When my life is done and past the proverbial December It would be nice to know that friends with thoughtful smile will still remember Some thoughts, the love the affection shared so deeply in the past It would be nice to know that some fond memories still last It is sad to leave for me but for all friends and family who still live It would be nice to know there was something of value I was able to give.I am positive you will all agree she had nothing to worry about in this regard. Thanks again to all our friends and family alike for listening to what I wanted to say at this moment of final sad good-bye for our beloved Sis

Daniel Maisel

534w ago

My Eulogy for Sis Dec 28, 2014 I want to thank all of you who have come to say good-bye to your Friend and my constant companion and inspiration for almost 80 years. All of you who have known Sis during the years know what a wholesome, kind and friendly person she was. I have always been amazed at how she had so much empathy and friendliness for all. Sis and her twin brother Marv were born in Albany but her family who were in the motion picture business moved to Buffalo when she was about two years old. I met them at the end of my freshman year in High School and by the time we were 18 she and I had decided that we would spend the rest of our lives together, which most fortunately for me we did. Please bear with me while I try to point out what a remarkable woman she was in so many ways. Sis was an excellent student winning the medal for highest marks in her grade school graduating class. She did equally well in high school graduating in 3 Â½ years. Financial limitations prevented her from entering college and the advent of the world war then impacted our lives.. We were married in May of 1942 but I was shipped overseas unexpectedly on July 1 . Sis returned to Buffalo and lived with her parents for the next 3 Â½ years. They were wonderfully supportive of her during this difficult times. Her mother, in particular was particularly close and the continuing relationship with her mother was always a beautiful thing to see. Sis's relationship with her twin brother, Marv, and concern for his well being was also a remarkable thing to witness and he has also always remained not only a brother-in-law but my closest friend During the war Sis held several jobs including an important cost control position in the government Home Owners Loan office. and she saved money for our life after the war while living with her parents When I returned to the states in she encouraged me to enter graduate school and was always by my side during the three years we spent in Boston, first taking a job in the graduate school finance department and then taking time off for the birth of our daughter, Barbara. Our daughter, Betty, was born later when we had moved to New Jersey. Sis always referred to them as "my blessings" as well they were. In the following many years in New Jersey Sis was certainly the steering wheel for our family. She was the focal point for countless family gatherings and the Holidays were most often events at our home which she insisted in planning. In addition she was very active socially serving as a director for the New Jersey Family and Children's Society and in the Council of Jewish Women. She also organized the Buffalo Chowder and Marching Society whose membership was open to her relatives and guest membership was available to my relatives. Every month ,for more than 30 years, this group held lively dinner meetings at homes or at restaurants. She was also a strong supporter of Judaism and when our daughters were old enough and there was no convenient Reform Congregation in our town of Union, she gathered a group of interested people to found a new and successful Temple nearby so that our daughters could have a good Jewish education and we could have a Jewish focal point as a family She served as an officer on the Women's Club for many years. . Some years later, she decided to redress something she had always wanted and enrolled in Kean College where, while still managing our house and other civic activities she graduated with a bachelor degree in teaching. It was a highlight year when Betty graduated from 8th grade and Barbara from High School and she received her Bachelor's degree in the same month and I had the great pleasure to escort her to her graduation ball. She looked so radiantly happy and beautiful for this event. She was about to secure a local teaching job when the opportunity for me to manage a laboratory in Belgium arose and , as was her want, put aside these ambitions, to accompany me to make a home

Daniel Maisel

534w ago

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