Estelle Ruth Schwartz

Estelle Ruth Schwartz Health Care Educator PORTLAND -- Estelle Ruth Schwartz, 88, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2009, at Cedars Skilled Care Center with her family by her side just after sunset, her favorite time of day. A first generation American, she was born on April 14, 1920, in Portland, the middle child and only daughter of David and Ann (Freedman) Long. She attended Portland Schools and graduated with honors in 1937 from Portland High School. After high school she studied at Simmons College in Boston only completing one year because of financial reasons. In 1941 she graduated from the Maine General Hospital School of Nursing and began a long career in nursing. During WWII she was a public health nurse in York County. She married Leo Schwartz on April 15, 1942 in Portsmouth, N.H., and while her husband was training in the U.S. Army Air Corps school of aerial photography she worked at the Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colo. Following the War she left full time nursing to raise a family and assist her husband in his business ventures. During the 1950's she and her husband owned and operated the Family Food Market on St. John Street in Portland. Later, in the 1970s and 80s they owned and operated the Burton Cottages, a summer business, on Sebago Lake. She was employed by the National Census in 1960, 1970, 1980 and in 1990. Also, as a part-time public opinion surveyor she participated in the test marketing of breakfast cereal, mouthwash, shampoo, canned foods, cigarettes, and automobiles. She was even a licensed private detective. In the late 1950s she resumed her nursing career as a nurse in the 'float pool' at the Maine Medical Center. Her children fondly remember the many Christmas's she volunteered to work so that other nurses could take the time off to be with their families. She also resumed her pursuit of a bachelors degree, attending classes evenings and weekends at the Portland Campus of the University of Maine, now the University of Southern Maine, graduating in 1968, 'with distinction,' achieving her BS in Education and in 1974 her Master's in Education. In 1968 she began teaching high school English at her Alma Mater. In 1970 she was able to combine her two careers when she became the Portland School Department's first instructor in health occupations at the city's first all vocational high school located in the old Cushman Bakery building on Preble Street. As Chairman of the Department of Occupational Services she created the curriculum for the health occupations program. Then, in 1976, she helped to design the classrooms for this program at the new, improved Portland Regional vocational Technical Center (PRVTC) on Allen Avenue, now know as the Portland Arts and Technology High School or (PATHS). In 1981, Estelle co-wrote, with longtime friend and writer, Lillian Potter, one of the nation's first textbooks devoted to secondary level health occupations education. Foundations of Patient Care: Basic Principles for the Health Occupations which was published by the J.B. Lippincott Company. It could be said that she was a pioneer in the field of health occupations and was one of the first women members of the Maine Vocational Association. As a health educator, she organized conferences, workshops, and programs all over the state and assisted other health occupations educators promote and improve their profession. She was the staff education director for the Portland City Hospital now called the Barron Center and was an in service educational consultant for many area healthcare facilities including the Westbrook Community Hospital now known as Mercy Primary Care and the Jewish Home for the Aged now called The Cedars. In 1984 she retired from PRVTC and healthcare education. It could be said that her professional legacy, that of care based on knowledge, skill kindness and compassion, continued on in those who cared for her as her health declined during the last two years of her life. Estelle was a woman of varied interests throughout her life. In her childhood she became an accomplished pianist. As a young woman she enjoyed horseback riding, camping and tennis. She loved Scrabble, Bridge, Boggle and crossword puzzles. In the spring she picked pussy willows, mayflowers, lilacs and blueberries. She was fascinated by birds of all kinds and would stop whatever she was doing to watch them. A voracious reader she devoured mystery novels, comedies, magazines and the Sunday New York Times Book Review. She loved to laugh and loved Mel Brooks, Steve Allen, Shelly Berman, Gene Sheppard, Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbs among others. She loved poems, listening to them, reading them and writing them. Her favorite poets were Robert Frost and Carl Sandberg. As a writer she also produced plays for children, short stories, poems and free-lance articles. She was a longtime member of the Women's Literary Union. She traveled the world visiting Europe, North American, and the Middle East. If a city had an art museum she was there from the Portland Museum of Art to the Louvre. All her life she studied art and in her later years she became a talented artist painting wonderful watercolors which became treasured keepsakes by all who were fortunate to receive them. She was an avid collector of glass, antiques, baskets and books. Her collections contained many rare pieces and first editions. She loved attending concerts, plays and lectures. She especially enjoyed attending the plays in which her children and grandchildren appeared, wrote or produced. She was a life long Red Sox fan, who was thrilled to see them finally win the World Series in 2004 and again in 2007. She loved the Ocean and often visited Portland Head and Two Lights. She loved the mountains and every autumn she and her husband would take the family on long trips to view the vivid colors of the changing leaves. In short she loved everything and was in the words of her grandchildren, 'a Renaissance Woman.' She was predeceased by the brothers Elias and Eugene Long; and by her husband of 56 years, Leo, who died in 1998. She is survived by her sons, Stanley Schwartz and his wife Bonnie McCrimmin of Montreal, Michael Schwartz and wife Kristina of Westbrook, Anthony Schwartz and wife Tracey Hall of Windham; and by her grandchildren, Anna Schwartz of Portland and Daniel Schwartz of Westbrook. She was also a favorite aunt and is survived by numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank those who cared for Estelle in the last years of her life; the staffs of Aging Excellence, The Monarch Center, and most recently The Cedars and Beacon Hospice. There will be no funeral. A memorial service will be held later in the spring. Arrangements are made by Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home & Cremation Service. 775-3763 FOG By Carl Sandberg The fog comes On little cat feet. It sits looking Over harbor and city On silent haunches And then moves on