Sam & Sylvia Resnick

In Loving Memory

Sylvia Resnick passed away April 1st, 2020.

4 days later, her husband of 68 years,

Sam Resnick passed away.

Mom

My mother lived a full 87 year, vibrant life.

Always positive, a constant smile, and always trying to make the best of even bad situations.

She was generous, charming, caring and warm. She loved Sam (married 68 years), her children, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandchildren and granddog. In fact, she was loving to all.

She had a passion for life. Opera, travel, news, painting, and visiting with friends.

A truly beautiful woman, in appearance and in soul. I am so lucky to have had her as my mother. Her passing has left a deep sadness for many.

-Steve

Dad

Just 4 days after his beloved wife of 68 years passed away, my father Sam, passed as well. It is fitting that they passed together. It was meant to be.

In his 94 years, Sam suffered many hardships. He lived through the Depression, selling razor blades as a child at the elevated station in Brooklyn. He endured uncountable horrors fighting in Germany in WWII. Yet, despite these and otehr traumas, he was always playful and creative, constantly exploring new projects and ideas.

Many years after the war, he joined the Veteran’s of the 100th Infantry, where he became President. After much hard work, he got part of the Cross Island Parkway designated as 100th Infantry Parkway. He was inducted into the French Legion of Honor.

While working full time helping to support his parents and younger brother, he studied at night and received his Law degree from Brooklyn Law school.

He was a technical writer, at times having top secret classification. Not understanding what he really did for a living, my friends suspected he was really a spy.

Both my parents traveled all over the world, and had many friends, from childhood, neighborhood, Bridge and Tennis. He entertained many with his well told stories and corny jokes. He loved his family and was loved by them. He led a full and vibrant life, and will be lovingly missed by many.

-Steve

Grandma

You were a light that will continue to shine just as bright even if you’re not physically here anymore. Your infectious love for everyone around you, your travels with Grandpa, your beautiful paintings and art all around your bayside apartment, your "hi bubalas and "bunnys", your noshing on dried soybeans, your lipstick stains on my cheeks, you and Grandpa’s indestructible love for each other, your laughing till you cried hysterically and your endless support, generosity and love for your family will be remembered by us all. I love you with all my heart.

-Zoe

Grandpa

Unfortunately, shortly after my Grandma died, we lost my Grandpa Sam. Grandpa, thank you for teaching me how to be assertive, speak my mind, challenge myself, goof around and live my life to the fullest. I can’t believe you are gone, but your hundreds of stories you’ve told about the war, about the squirrel in your attic and the mischievousness of my dad will never be forgotten. You are such an inspiring man and I will continue to aspire to live my life as full as you did. Even through the toughest of times, you were a fighter for 94 years - getting through illness and pain with grace and humor. I’m comforted that you and Grandma have each other now. I love you.

-Zoe

Mom & Dad, Virtual Shiva Speech

Sam and Sylvia loved life. 

Dad could make people laugh with his numerous stories about his life. Even hearing them for the third time was entertaining, though by the 6th time it started getting a bit much. Mom was a great listener, not only tolerating Dad, for 68 years, but truly enjoyed connecting with people and learning about their lives. She always had a smile on her face, and would make those going through hard times feel comforted.

Dad went through many hard times in his life. He had a difficult childhood. He was raised during the Depression, working to help his family even as a child. He went into the army at age 17, and was on the front lines in France and Germany, suffering horrors I cannot even imagine. He was able to deal with these though, and later on, wrote some short memoirs of the war, not as a commentary, but in his typical style of interesting story telling. This part of his life became a seed that eventually grew into close friendships more than half a century later, when he re-kindled his army friendships as he became active with the Veterans of the 100th Infantry, eventually becoming it’s President, and, after working tirelessly, managed to get part of the Cross Island Parkway in Queens dedicated as the 100th Infantry Parkway.

It is often said “Behind every great man…”, but in the case of my parents, my mother was not behind him, they were always side by side. Especially for her generation, she was always strong and assertive, she spoke her mind. She supported Dad in his work, his many quirky projects, or socially. She worked as a Speech Pathologist, often for the school system, and with private clients. Despite many roadblocks, such as her work, and raising 2 children,( and I wasn't always the easiest child), she eventually was able to get her Ph.D. in Speech Pathology.

They were both very intelligent, but not “intellectuals”, they had a down to earth curiosity about the world. Learning and sharing their excitement about what they knew, as my mother did as a docent at the Guggenheim Museum.

They weren’t afraid  to have fun and be different, whether it was my Dad’s handlebar mustache, or my Mom covering her Dodge Dart with paisley and daisy stickers. 

So may their joy, warmth, yearning for learning, and fun loving character be an inspiration for us all

Their memories are truly a blessing to us all

-Steve

Grandma & Grandpa, Virtual Shiva

Grandma and Grandpa had a love that was indestructible. A love that withstood the multiple surgeries and challenges they both went through. One recent memory I have of their love is when we visited my Grandpa in the hospital after his fall. When we came into the hospital room, Grandpa was struck by emotion after seeing Grandma. He instantly started crying and gave my Grandma a kiss as she approached the hospital bed. That one moment will stay with me forever; a moment that expresses true love and the love I aspire to have in my life.

I will miss Grandma and Grandpa immensely. My Grandma’s warm greetings and sitting on her lap when I was younger. She calls me bunny and bubula and always left lipstick stains on my cheeks. She taught me how to play Gin Rummy and how to eat hummus by the jar and nosh on everyone’s plates around the table. Her spirit and love towards everyone around her was infectious and won’t be forgotten.

Not sure where to start with Grandpa, but my oh my was he a character. He pushed me. He would critique me when I would say “like” in the middle of my sentences and tried to get me to stop saying “yeah yeah yeah” as a response. What I cherish most about Grandpa was his ability to find connections with everyone he spoke to. Whether it was connecting through stories about the war, or making jokes, he bonded with every person he met. Both Grandma and Grandpa had the ability to make anyone in their presence feel comfortable and warm.

My Grandparents made me laugh like no other. We would laugh till we were crying hysterically. Playing our animal war card game at the kitchen table or making jabs at each other made up some of the fondest memories of my childhood. They taught me how to have fun and make the most of every situation. Their memories will live in my family and I and they will continue to inspire me to challenge myself, take risks, be warm towards others and live my life as fully as they did.

-Zoe

Grandma & Grandpa, Virtual Shiva

Much of who I am today is due to my grandparents.

There is so much I can say about them and knowing my grandpa- he’d want me to mention it all, my grandma - not as much.

They balanced each other out so well, rarely did I spend time with one of them individually. together they were best and Together they will always be.

Im urged to tell a story, my grandpa was so good at that. Some of my earliest memories are actually his own that he told me. I was with him when he fought off the squirrels in his attic and when he ran dow the street from bullies to get ice for the ice box. I was with her when she lounged about Brighton Beach and when she held her kids back from the ginormous spider in the bathroom.

But storytelling is not something I got from them. Creativity was. Laughter was. Sensitivity was.

They pushed me, pushed my buttons at times, hitting the points that were already so soft. But they were strong and confident- they knew I should be too.

Both of them lived full, proud lives. They survived a lot of struggle but really only used that to grow their minds, their creativity and their hearts. Never was something half assed with them - always passionate one way or another.

My last conversation with my grandpa, he called his wife ‘a great girl, a really great girl’ and I will say the same about him, he was a great guy, a really great guy. May they be great together forevermore.

-Claire