Ada Mayoff (nee Katz), 91, resident of Merrill Gardens in Tamarac, FL died suddenly on September 19 2003. Predeceased by Meyer, beloved husband of 58 years. She is survived by loving daughter Elaine (Gerald) Isaacs; son Bernard (Denise) Mayoff; grandchildren Jeffrey Mayoff, Robert Mayoff, Aaron (Ronite) Isaacs, Elizabeth Mayoff, Cheryl (Richard) Navarrete, Bradley Isaacs, great-grandson Richard Navarrete, Jr.
Eulogy
Ada Mayoff — Ada bat Matisyahu ha’kohan
Born January 14, 1912 in Chicago, Illinois
Married June 8,1940 to Meyer Mayoff. They were married for 58 years until Meyer’s death almost five years ago.
Graduated high school with a 2 year diploma, allowing her to enter the work force earlier than a 4 year diploma.
One of her first jobs was at an electrical supply company where the other people could always make her blush by referring to the male and female plugs and sockets.
Entered adulthood during the depression.
Her younger sister, Sadie, contracted polio at a very young age and Ada became involved in care and treatments both in Chicago and then in Florida throughout Sadie’s long life. If you knew Ada you knew of her dedication to Sadie’s welfare through good times and bad.
Although her parents, Max Katz and Rose Berman, were separated for most of Ada’s life, she remained devoted to both of them.
Proud of, and devoted to her children, Elaine and Bernie. Really had four children because Gerry and Denise were never just in-laws, they were her children too, and she their mother.
She kvelled over her six grandchildren, Aaron, Brad, Jeff, Rob, Beth, and Cheryl. She was thrilled to attend Aaron and Ronite’s wedding, and Cheryl and Richard’s. And thrilled to know Rob’s girlfriend Delia, and to meet Beth’s boyfriend Bryan, and Brad’s girlfriend Jordana. Ada and Meyer moved from Chicago to escape the winter and to be near family. Aaron and Brad grew up with them and she was a part of their lives almost daily. Aaron was at her apartment, sometimes on a daily basis, resetting the TV, fixing a remote, adjusting the answering machine, fixing something else or often just visiting.
Ada was not Jewish by attending services. She lived it. Being Jewish was a part of her that never required thought. It just was. Yiddish was actually her first language.
She was a brilliant woman, who probably never realized it. She just took it for granted that helping your children with their homework, almost no matter the topic, or correcting their papers, was something that you do. Or that learning a computer system, or mastering a law office, were things that not everyone could do.
She retired from IBM at least three times. She retired in Chicago when she reached retirement age. But IBM extended the retirement age and called her back. And made her another retirement party when she retired a second time. Then she moved to Florida where they extended the age and called her back a third time. They might have extended the retirement age yet again, but they couldn’t afford any more retirement parties!
The first apartment she could remember had gas lights and a coal burning heater. In her 91 years she went from those days to having her own e-mail id. She had a biting sense of humor, and a quick wit. She liked to travel and to experience new things. At age 91 she started an exercise class!
But more than anything, her life revolved around her husband, her sister, her children and her grandchildren — and she was thrilled when Rich became her first great-grandchild.