EVELYN SHUMAN

SHUMAN, Evelyn (Sklaver) At 106 years, the oldest graduate of Radcliffe College Of Chestnut Hill, passed away on September 24, at her home. Born in Boston, MA to Goldie & Harry Sklaver, she was the beloved wife of the late Dr. Harold Shuman. Evelyn grew up in Mattapan, where she fondly recalled weekends spent walking across the city with her mother, often including a stop at Filene's Basement before reaching her paternal grandparents' fish store in the West End. Evelyn enjoyed the company of her numerous cousins, "helping out" in nearby candy stores and soda fountains. Although her father was a builder of homes in Brookline, her mother preferred the familiarity of their triple-decker, surrounded by a close-knit community of uncles, aunts, and friends. After graduating from Girls Latin School, Evelyn went on to pursue her education at Radcliffe (now Harvard) College, where she graduated in 1940. During her junior year, she volunteered in the Maternity Clinic of Boston Lying-In, providing prenatal counseling such as advising expectant mothers to save newspapers for postpartum bleeding when appropriate supplies were scarce. During Harold's four-year absence during the war, Evelyn undertook the challenging task of contact tracing for sexually transmitted diseases, particularly syphilis. She traversed the city, encouraging individuals to seek treatment and disclose their status to current and future partners. Evelyn had an insatiable curiosity about people from all walks of life. After her move to Marblehead, her home was a welcoming place for her children's friends, who often felt more at ease there than in their own homes. She cherished effortlessly made new friendships while maintaining longstanding connections from childhood. Evelyn participated in various groups and activities, including music, bridge, and book clubs. She enjoyed attending symphony performances on Friday afternoons, watching operas in cinemas, and playing golf. Despite her generosity, she relished finding a "bargain" at Marshalls and its precursor, Hoffman's, or discovering tuna fish on sale at "the Star" or Stop & Shop. Evelyn served as a model of active aging as an informed and avid conversationalist and daily reader of the Boston Globe through her final days. A lifelong Democrat and progressive, always eager for a political discussion, Evelyn lived through 19 presidencies and proudly never voted Republican. *I'm not afraid of dying," she pronounced, "but I do enjoy living," to see what comes next in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Evelyn is survived by her loving sons, James, of Paris, France, Robert & daughter-in-law, Sheila, of Marblehead, loving daughter, Heidi Jay & late son-in-law, Ed Jay of Brookline; grandchildren Rebecca O'Brien & her husband, Paul O'Brien of Swampscott; Daniel Shuman & his wife, Anna Scalera of Marblehead; Samantha Crane & her husband, Nick of Delray Beach, FL, Molly Jay & her husband, Kyle of Chestnut Hill; and her great-grandchildren, Maddy, Ivy, Caito, Jonah, and River. Evelyn will also be lovingly remembered by her niece Toby Saef of Concord, MA, and nephews Joel Charm & his wife, Ellen of Boynton Beach, FL, Dr. Neal Sklaver & his wife, Rebecca, of Dallas, TX, Dr. Allen Sklaver & his wife, Jane, of West Palm Beach, FL, Gary Sklaver & his wife, Laura, of Clinton, CT, and Jeffrey Sklaver & his wife, Stacy, of Potomac, MD. Evelyn was predeceased by her sister, Anna Charm of Randolph, and her brother, Dr. Joseph Sklaver of Waterbury, CT. A Graveside Service will take place at the Beth El Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury on Sunday, September 28 at 1:00pm with livestream viewing available using the following link: www.tinyurl.com/EvelynShuman Family and friends are welcome to visit at Evelyn's residence on Sunday, from 2-5pm. Memorial donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, www.nationalmssociety.org Michael J Fox Foundation, www.michaeljfox.org or Planned Parenthood, www.plannedparenthood.org Levine Chapels, Brookline 617-277-8300 www.levinechapel.com