CHARLOTTE MELTZER OKONOW

Okonow, Charlotte Meltzer
80, on June 27 in Margate, New Jersey. Charlotte was the devoted mother of Dale and Marilyn Okonow of Needham, Massachusetts, and of Sindy and Mathew Finkelson of Linwood, New Jersey. For 55 years she was the adoring wife of Richard Okonow, who passed in 2008. She is also survived by grandchildren Hannah and Ben Okonow of Needham, Erica Finkelson of New York City, and Jessica Finkelson of Miami, whose every accomplishment brought her unbounded pride and fulfillment. She will also be missed by her countless dear friends in both southern New Jersey and Florida. She was the daughter of Irving and Rose Geller Meltzer, owners of the Breakers, the renowned kosher hotel in Atlantic City, and she worked in the hotel business with Richard most of her adult life. After their retirement, they moved to Boca Raton, Florida, and became involved with the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service, and the National Parkinson Association of South Palm Beach County. She served as president of the Women's Division of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, where she was a highly regarded fundraiser who planned countless events for the Lion of Judah giving society. She also served as president of Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service. More than anything else, she was a deeply devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and her beautiful spirit and tradition of Jewish philanthropy, commitment and caring are being continued every day by her wonderful children and grandchildren. Nurturing her family was her greatest joy, and she will be remembered by all who knew her as a forever warm, friendly, caring woman with an incisively quick wit, endless smile and persistently positive demeanor. None of these traits left her even as she succumbed to the effects of Alzheimer's disease. Her memorial services and interment in New Jersey were private. Donations can be made to Jewish Family & Children's Service of Greater Boston's Parkinson's Family Support Program, 1430 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451. For more information, please visit www.jfcsboston.org.