Muriel Levy Shiff, age 84, passed away peacefully on October 19, 2013 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton. Muriel was born in Neenah on April 19, 1929, to Max and Leah Levy. After graduating from Neenah High School, Muriel received a degree in English from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She married her high school sweatheart Joe Shiff of Appleton in Milwaukee on December 24, 1950. Muriel and Joe loved to sail, travel, talk, and laugh together. Joe was the light of her life and they enjoyed 42 wonderful years together until his death in 1992.
Besides raising their two sons, Mike and David, Muriel was an English teacher and volunteered for many years with Hadassah, Moses Montefiore Sisterhood and a number of other charitable organizations. After her children graduated college she pursued her interest in art and design by earning an associates degree in interior design and went on to do residential interior design work in the Appleton community. She very much enjoyed and appreciated the company of her friends and she also held a special place in her heart for animals and nature. Although she sorely missed Joe, Muriel remained strong and active, traveling extensivley and sailing every summer with family and friends. In her travels, she visited over 50 countries across all seven continents. Along the way she became a good photographer. Muriel also continued to volunteer by helping teach children to read and she passed along her love for animals, nature, and science by working with children's programs at the Phonenix Zoo.
In addtion to her deep love and affection for her two children, Michael and David, she adored her two grandchildren Sam and Sophie, who were her pride and joy. Throughout her life Muriel was active and independent and at the age of 84 she was still driving a car with a stick shift. Muriel also continued to enjoy sailing and was racing on the family boat in Annapolis with her son David as recently as this Spring. To the end she was also a Packers and Badgers fan. Most importantly, Muriel believed people could accomplish whatever they set out to achieve and she hoped that people would choose to do the right thing for other people, for animals, for nature, and for the world.
Muriel touched the lives of people in a memorable manner wherever she went. She will be deeply missed by many people including her two sons, David Shiff of Bethesda, MD, Mike Shiff and his wife Anne and their two children Sam and Sophie of Plano, TX, and her brother, Stan Levy and his wife Eunice of Avon, CT.
An outdoor service will take place at 11:00am on Sunday, October 20 at Moses Montefiore Cemetery (located on East Woodland Avenue between North Viola Street and North Rankin Street; the entrance on East Woodland Avenue is across from Willow Court) in Appleton.
In lieu of flowers please feel free to make a charitable donation to the children's charity, animal welfare, or nature conservancy of your choice.
Published in Appleton Post-Crescent on Oct. 20, 2013
