The Chapel
that recognizes
ch family's individual needs.
Ethel Battlaen Goldstein, 86, died
Aug. 7, 2008, at her home, Heritage of
Southfield.
She was born on Jan. 14, 1922, in
Bethlehem, Pa., to Louis (Leib) Battalen
and Fanny (Fenya) Ronen. She married
Isadore Goldstein
on April 24, 1942, in
Brooklyn, N.Y.; they
later divorced.
Mrs. Goldstein was
the first person in her
family to attend col-
lege and graduated
from Hunter College
Ethel
in 1943, where she
Goldstein
majored in English.
c. 1941
During World War
II, she worked as a welder in a defense
plant, where, after two weeks and to
her bemusement, she was promoted to
inspector on the strength of her status
as a college graduate.
Her 27-year career as a teacher
was spent at Yeshiva Ohel Moshe in
Brooklyn, Akiva Hebrew Day School
in Detroit and Stevenson Public
Elementary in Southfield. Many local
former students remember her fondly
as a warm-hearted, intelligent and no-
nonsense teacher,
Mrs. Goldstein loved classical
music, theater, dancing and books. She
appointed her homes elegantly with
modern pottery, statuary and paintings,
displaying a keen, balanced sensibility
and a functional aesthetic. This artistry,
like her personality, quietly added to the
warmth and comfort she always shared
with all who knew her.
She was an avid birder and sup-
porter of wildlife organizations.
She was a charter member of the
National Museum of Women's Arts
in Washington, D.C., and was fond of
saying that even more than getting the
right to vote, it was the ability to drive
that really liberated women.
She set beautiful, simple and elegant
holiday tables. Her roast turkey was
legendary, especially the matzah farfel
stuffing for Passover; her standard and
delicious desserts were tiny Seckel pears
in syrup and banana cake with choco-
late chips. While working full time, she
spent many evenings preparing the next
day's dinner while marking papers or
doing lessons plans at the kitchen table.
She was conscientious in everything
she did.
Mrs. Goldstein was a longtime mem-
ber of the Sholem Aleichem Institute
and a supporter of women's causes.
A liberal independent who voted
Democratic, she would have had great
pleasure seeing a new and different
administration in Washington. Her
family regrets that she will never be
able to vote again, and will do its best to
continue to represent her in the polling
booth.
Reading was one of her greatest
pleasures and she was a member of two
book clubs for many years. She had a
lifelong love for poetry, always had an
interesting book to recommend and
particularly enjoyed a "hot game" of
Scrabble.
Always one to enjoy traveling,
she really spread her wings during
her retirement. When her daughter
Frannie's family lived in South Korea,
Mrs. Goldstein went there to meet her
newborn grandson Auren. She was
convinced to travel on to Japan alone,
which she thought was a pretty daring
thing for a woman in her 60s to do. She
had a wonderful trip and was delighted
by and impressed with the respect she
received as a white-haired "elder."
Mrs. Goldstein had beautiful silver-
white hair and sparkling blue eyes. She
was a quiet, modest woman who loved
a good conversation and was a loyal
friend. The legacy of her quiet goodness
is the love she provided daily, still felt
by her family and friends. She is deeply
missed. In everyday life, she mod-
eled right speech and right action and
remains a beacon to all.
Mrs. Goldstein is survived by her
sister and brother-in-law, Lucy and
Julius Fass of Stamford, Conn.; children,
Mark (Norma Bristol) Goldstein of San
Francisco, Louise (Bruce Thomadsen)
Goldstein of Madison, Wis., and Frances
Goldstein of Southfield; grandchil-
dren, Elizabeth (Allen Madsen) Maier
and Sara (David Cohen) Maier, all of
Portland Ore., Auren Kaplan of Ann
Arbor; great-granddaughter, Leora
Cohen; many loving nieces and an
admiring nephew.
She was predeceased by her parents
and her brothers, Jesse and Herbert
Battalen.
Services at Dorfman Chapel.
Interment at Beth El Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to Emily's
List, Planned Parenthood, the Detroit
Zoological Society or Sholem Aleichem
Institute. Shivah information can be
found at www.thedorfmanchapel.
corn, (248) 406-6000. Arrangements by
Dorfman Chapel.
❑
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condolences
to the families
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Jewish community
bv bringing together
our rich traditions
with customized,
sensitive services.
Assoc* ited with all cemeteries.
Please call us at:
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JEROME ROtERT
"JERRY- CLINTON
Rabbi: David Nelson
Clover Hill Park Cemetery
IDA RICHMOND
Rabbi: Herbert Yoskowitz of
Adat Shalom Synagogue
Cantor: Larry \'ieder of
Adat Shalom Synagogue
Machpelah Cemetery
FREIDA BLEALk PALTER
Burial in Old Montefiore
Cemetery in New York
MARION RUTTER
Rabbi: Joseph Klein of
Temple Emanuel
Hebrew Memorial Park Cemetery
Outside Michigan at:
1-800-736-5033
26640 Greenfield Road
Oak Park, Michigan 48237
MARTIN RABINOWITZ
Rabbi: Harold Loss of Temple Israel
Hebrew Memorial Park Cemetery,
Rabbi Boruch E. Levin
Robert H. Bodzin
Eiecutive Director, H.B.S.
Funeral Director
Elaine Klein
Funeral Coordinator
threw
emonal
Chapel
Mark E. Klinger
Funeral Director
From Generation to Generation
August 14 d 2008
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