Funeral Details

Judith Mildred Epstein passed away on December 24, 2023.

Married to David Epstein (1927 – 2012), the mother of Mark (Julie Thomas) Epstein and Paula Epstein and the grandmother of Alex and Sabrina Epstein, Judy will be remembered forever as a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Dear sister of the late Herb (the late Phyllis) Breit and the late Helene (the late Mort) Rosenberg. Dear sister-in-law of Ann (the late Henry) Kulwin, the late Fran (the late Erwin) Frank, the late Minnie (Emil) Hirsch and the late Bernice (the late Harold) Rappaport. Loving Aunt of 19 nieces and nephews. She was a renowned teacher and educator and as a great friend and caring person to the thousands of people she touched in her personal and professional life.

Judy was born in 1931, during the Depression, to two immigrants, Molly Nussdorf and David Breitowich. They lived on Division Street in Chicago – David had cousins in Chicago and settled there when he emigrated to the US. Molly was the only sister in a large family of boys and was brought over from Galicia to the United States by her older brothers, Oscar and Ben, who were in New York and worked to get their family out of Europe one by one. But by the arrival of World War II only half of Judy’s uncles (including her favorite uncle Arthur) had made it to the US and survived, while her grandparents and the other family members were lost.

Mom never talked much about this, but we knew that these childhood experiences profoundly shaped her. Mom was one of 3 children. She had an older brother Herb and a younger sister Helene. She adored both of them. Mom had the unique ability to connect to people across generations and eras. She was an avid student from an early age and after graduating from Roosevelt High School she was the only one in her family to go to college. Not just any college, but Northwestern. Rare for women in those days and certainly for the child of poor immigrants. Mom earned a teaching degree, which became a foundation of her life.

While mom was in college she met our father David, also the son of immigrants who had come to Chicago. Dave had enlisted and gone into the Army as soon as he graduated from High School. When the war ended Dave went to the University of Illinois. During college Dave and Judy met one summer, in the Fox River area (sections 1/2 and 3/4) between Elgin and St. Charles, where both of their families went to cottages outside of the sweltering city. They got “pinned” when Dave was a senior and then got married as soon as Judy graduated.

After college, Judy became a teacher in Forest Park, Illinois. This is when she met her lifelong friend Fran Bloom. All who knew Judy knew her as a teacher – it was one of, but not her only, passions in life. After Mark was born Judy stopped teaching and became a dedicated mother and homemaker (no surprise) and she and Dave moved to the South Side of Chicago at 87th Street and East End Avenue. Paula was born a couple of years later and Judy kept on being a full-time mother. Well – she also sold World Books on the side (not Tupperware). Later, after Paula was in school, Judy went back to teaching, as a substitute teacher in Chicago. In 1968 the family left the South Side and, along with many of their neighbours and friends, moved to the North Shore. For Dave and Judy that was Highland Park. Judy became a full-time teacher in Highland Park, for 3rd and 4th graders, and was one of the best they ever had. She never stopped her own education after Northwestern and took extra courses to improve her knowledge and seniority in the teacher ranks. Every summer when other teachers took vacations Judy took classes to improve herself and her teaching. Highland Park never wanted Judy to stop teaching - they extended and re-extended the forced retirement age for her – everyone in District 113 in Highland Park knew her and she was a fixture at Green Bay School and Indian Trail School. She did not retire until she reached her late 60’s. Over the years Judy impacted the lives of nearly 1,000- children in those formative years when they were 8 – 10 years old. She loved teaching and helping all of those children.

But it was not just those kids she loved. Mark and Paula always came first, no matter what else Judy had going on in life. She was home when they returned from school. She cooked dinner every night for them, for Dave and for anyone else that needed a meal. Judy was the guiding light for Mark and Paula and supported them in everything they did. Sports, activities, travel, boyfriends and girlfriends, through successes and setbacks. Friends were an extended part of the Epstein family and always welcome at Judy’s house. She would talk to them about school, about life and of course feed them! There were also stray cousins and the children of friends… Judy knew everyone and kept track of them all. Her refrigerator was always covered with pictures of not only her own family but the kids and grandchildren of her friends. And of course, the family pets, including Arlo (a rescued Great Dane) and Paula’s Cocoa.

When we say Judy connected across generations this was an understatement. She learned from her mother Molly what it was to be a Jewish mother and homemaker and she was a great cook, caregiver and the ultimate supporter to Dave, Mark, and Paula. That extended not just to her broader family as well but to the families and children of her friends. Mark and Paula were always amazed at the number of friends Judy and Dave had. Long before the days of Facebook they had a friend-group that went into the dozens. Friends of Judy’s from college, from teaching, from living on the South Side of Chicago and friends they met through those friends. There was no social media or internet – they went out and spent time with these people, hosting pot-luck dinner parties and even vacations with multiple families. These were Mark and Paula’s childhood memories. Judy also never forgot about her own family. The Breitowichs of Chicago were a tightknit clan of immigrants that supported each other through the depression and raising families in America. Through the early years and then the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s the family gathered every summer for a full day picnic, every Chanukah for a party, and every bar mitzvah, wedding or funeral. Throughout her life, these gatherings were part of her being and they were part of the tradition she always carried with her. She spanned an era.

Once Mark and Paula were in college Judy and Dave expanded their travels from car trips around the United States to more exotic trips around the world. Europe, China, Africa, Israel. Judy was an adventurer and Dave was her very willing partner. When Dave could not go, Judy and Fran Bloom went.

Judy was also actively involved in numerous activities. She was always in a couple of book clubs and played mahjongg regularly. She had season tickets to the Civic Opera and went down every month on the train to see the shows and go to the Art Institute. She went to plays at the Marriott right until she became ill. She was involved in AAUW which helps fund womens’ graduate education. And of course, there were her hometown favourites of Ravinia and the Botanic Garden. But perhaps her favourite activity in later years was her craft projects. Dave jokingly called them “the hookers” – several groups of ladies who “hooked” beautiful rugs. Every member of the family got one and Judy’s house featured many more.

Over the past 29 years Judy was the very proud grandmother of Alex and Sabrina, Mark’s children. They went to Africa together for a family trip with Mark which was one of Judy (and Dave’s) favourite memories. In recent years Sabrina and Alex even spent some time living at Judy’s house – precious time for Judy in her later years. Mark was in New York and then London, but still visited whenever he could. And he found Julie as his partner (and wife as of this week). Judy adored Julie and could not have been happier that Mark was again happy. As for Paula, she has always lived in Chicago and gotten to spend great quality time with Judy, which was precious for both of them. Judy was a “Go-Go” until she was 88 and had a stroke – suddenly having the active part of her life taken away from her. Paula became the rock that supported her, just as Judy had been the rock that supported the entire family for all of the prior years. On behalf of all of the family and all of Judy’s friends, they want to thank Paula from the bottom of their hearts.

Just a month ago Judy was at her home for Thanksgiving. Mark and Paula cooked. Just as Judy had done for over 50 plus. Lots of friends came to see Judy and many stayed for dinner and the evening. Judy was smiling and happy and had the wonderful glow in her eyes that all of you who ever knew her remember. She was at peace. She had a great life. She raised a great family and her memory and traditions will live on with them for generations to come.

Service Monday 10 AM at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 8851 Skokie Blvd., (at Niles Center Road) Skokie. Interment Tuesday 11AM at Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery, Section 7, 1700 W. Road, Arlington Heights. Memorials in her memory to your favorite charity would be appreciated. To attend the funeral live stream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals – Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com