Funeral Details

Marilyn Cloch nee Klein, age 80. Beloved wife for 50 years of the late Harvey Cloch. Loving mother of Steven (Cheryl) Cloh and Brian (Lori) Cloch. Proud grandmother of Jake, Jordan, Emily, Hannah, and Adam. Cherished sister of Rochel (Errol "Babe") Cutler. A private service will be held at Shalom Memorial Park Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Meals for Glenbrook 3East COVID Unit, www.giveinkind.com/inkinds/A9D0V1S/meals-for-glenbrook-3east-covid-unit supporting the frontline heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com.

The Mishnah teaches that when a child arrives in this world, it does so without its consent. A soul has no say on when or where it will be born, or who its parents will be. And so too with death. It comes without one's approval or consent. (Avot 4:22) If Marilyn Cloch had been consulted on the timing of either her birth or death, I have no doubt that she would have spoken her mind, and then made different choices than those which came to pass. And yet, despite the challenging circumstances she faced during her 80 years of life, Marilyn was still able to create a family and built a legacy that one could be proud of. Marilyn's earliest years were filled with adversity and trauma. But by the age of seven she had found her place in the world, in the loving home of Freida and Samuel Klein. Her father owned a tailor and dry-cleaning store on Chicago Avenue in the Austen area, and the family lived in an apartment in the back. A short while later Marilyn was joined by a baby sister when Rochel was born, and the Klein family was complete. While her family was never well off, those childhood years were happy ones. But tragically, in 1954, her father Samuel was diagnosed with lung cancer, and two years later he died. In the interim he and Freida had moved their family to the West Side so they could be closer to aunts, uncles and grandparents. Marilyn was a typical teenager, with plenty of girlfriends to keep her company. She was interested in clothes and hairstyles and had a crush on Paul Newman. She attended Austen High School and was active in BBG, and also had a part time job selling shoes in a Madison Avenue shop, to help provide for her family. As Rochel said: She was a "good, all-around girl, not a joke teller. She called a spade, a spade. If you were her friend, you were her friend. But if you crossed her once, she was done with you." And while, during those childhood years, Marilyn and Rochel were in very different places and stages of life, when Rochel "caught up" to her, the two became the best of friends. After graduating from High School, Marilyn started working at Allied Radio, and did her best to help her mom set Rochel in the right direction. It was during this time that Marilyn met Harvey. He was an extremely handsome man who walked with a swagger like Robert Wagner, and Marilyn was smitten. On Valentine's Day they were engaged, and in August they were married, and moved into an apartment on Damon Street in East Rogers Park. It wasn't long before Steve was born, and Marilyn and Harvey moved to Skokie where they sank roots. They stayed in that apartment for a couple of years, and around the time that Brian was born they moved into a house of their own. From the moment her sons were born there was nothing in the world more important to Marilyn than her boys. The sun rose and set with them. When Brian was a little older and settled into his school routine, Marilyn found a job at his school so she could continue to be present for her boys and help support their family. Growing up, Steve and Brian were both active in sports, and they knew that Marilyn would be there to watch every single game. In fact, even when Steve was playing in an adult softball league, Marilyn was still his number one fan, always there in the stands. As her boys grew up and headed off to college, Marilyn and Harvey settled into a nice life. She found a good job at Baxter, and she and Harvey and their large group of friends enjoyed evenings together. Everyone knew that Marilyn and Harvey had an open door policy, and always enjoyed when friends stopped by in the evening for dessert or "coffee and". It was a nice life. Marilyn and Harvey were blessed to see their sons marry: Steve to Cheryl, and Brian to Lori, and to become grandparents to Jake, Jordan, Emily, Hannah and Adam. And just as they did for their boys, Bubbie and Zaydie were there for every moment in their grandchildren's lives. By then they had moved into a small apartment in Northbrook that was near the dance studio and ice rink, and Bubbie and Zaydie's house became a happy place for their grandchildren to hang out. That small apartment was somehow big enough for Marilyn to continue to host every holiday meal for her family, where she continued her longstanding tradition of serving her sons the first bowls of matza ball soup - with an extra matza ball for each of them. Her boys and their families meant the world to her. Yes, through hard work and effort, Marilyn created a pretty nice world for herself - she had a husband she loved, children she adored, and grandchildren she never stopped chvelling over.
When Harvey's health took a turn for the worse, Marilyn watched over him like a hawk, pushing to keep him going for as long as he could. And there's no doubt that her efforts paid off. But with no cure for Parkinson's, in 2008, after 50 years of marriage, Harvey passed away. Our rabbis teach that "there is a substitute for everything; that every loss can be retrieved, except for the spouse of one’s youth." And unfortunately, that was true for Marilyn. When Harvey passed away her world grew darker. And despite the love and care of family and friends, this outgoing, social woman, who loved to gossip and share the news of the day slowly withdrew from the world around her. And yet, even in those difficult days, her spark never disappeared entirely. She was always aware when Rochel and Babe would visit, had a snarky grin for Steve and Cheryl and Brian and Lori, and would brighten up for her grandchildren. We only wish that those moments had been less fleeting, that Marilyn could have enjoyed more of the joyful years which she had certainly earned. When asked about the incongruities of life, how unfair it can sometimes be, our rabbis suggested that what seems to be unjust in this world is righted in the world to come. That those who receive more than their share of hardship here, are rewarded in the world to come. There can be no doubt that through her deeds Marilyn Cloch merited those rewards: to be together with her beloved Harvey, and to enjoy the blessings she earned over the course of her days. In her lifetime, Marilyn Cloch was a good daughter, a loving sister, a beloved wife, a devoted mother, and a proud Bubbie. She was a woman who built herself up, created and sustained her family, raised up good children and beautiful grandchildren. She was a caring and giving woman and a good friend, who through word and deed earned a good name. Zecher Tzadik L'vrachah - The memory of Marilyn Cloch will ever be a blessing. Amen.

Eulogy Given by Rabbi Sidney M. Helbraun
Temple Beth-El