MILDRED "MILLIE" BERMAN

BERMAN, Mildred "Millie" (Reitman) A loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and beloved aunt, died peacefully surrounded by family on July 15, 2021. Millie was the daughter of the late Julius and Sarah Reitman; wife of the late Irving Berman, sister of the late Irving Reitman, the late Jerome Reitman and his wife (the late) Connie Reitman; sister of Rhoda Weiner and her husband (the late) Leo Weiner. Mother to Sharon Rabinovitz and her husband Carl, Phyllis Berman and her husband Larry Rivais and (the late) Linda Tyre and her husband John. Survived by her loving grandchildren Jenn Ditmars and her husband Ryan, Heather Belitch and her husband Jamie, Elaina Rivais and her husband Ian Moriarity, Jamie Tyre and Justin Rabinovitz and great-grandchildren Rose and Leah Belitch. Special aunt to Faith Weiner and her husband Rick Tweedy, Larry Weiner along with all her nieces and nephews. Millie grew up in Jackson Heights, New York and moved to Mattapan with (the late) Irving Berman. Their nearly 67-year marriage would take them from Mattapan to West Roxbury and finally to Sharon where she became a well-known member of the community and a perennial volunteer. Millie was a trailblazer, a force of nature who loved to get involved. Whether it was fighting for Hancock Woods or making sure meals were delivered to seniors, Millie was always on a mission, ready to stand up and be counted. Growing up in Jackson Heights Millie learned responsibility at an early age, taking care of her sister Rhoda while her parents worked. The two shared a bedroom and a bed over the store on Roosevelt Avenue. For 84 years they spoke at least once a day with never a bad word or an argument passing between them. Family mattered to Millie and family was always important. Their three-family house in Mattapan included family upstairs and friends all around. Her three children, Sharon, Phyllis, and Linda were all born there as was her love for volunteering, starting with the Girl Scouts. Her parents and her sister would come from New York to visit and she loved the Jewish neighborhood and all that it offered. Eventually her sister and her parents would move to Massachusetts and the circle was complete. She found the community she loved moving to Sharon where she lived for over 23 years. She was an active board member of the Sharon Council on Aging and the Friends of the Sharon Council on Aging (FSCOA) and an active volunteer for Meals on Wheels. She sang in the Sharon chorus and volunteered with the Sharon Men's Club. Millie loved her Jewish roots and history and often said she became her father – who was an active member of Young Israel and was always at the shul. She found her own Jewish community at Ahavath Torah Congregation, attending Saturday services, nightly Minyan, volunteering at the Hebrew school and organizing events. When she rose to speak at a board meeting, she commanded the room and when she was cold, everyone put on a sweater. Family surrounded her and family was what mattered most. When the pandemic hit, she became a virtual Bubbie. She zoomed all her meetings and zoomed with her family. She might have been alone in the house, but she was never lonely. She relished the visits from her grandchildren and loved to share pictures of her great-grandchildren. She cooked constantly and everyone stopped by to pick up soup, chicken, roasted vegetables, turkey burgers and the occasional fried matzoh. In recent months when her health was failing, it was her two great-grandchildren Leah and Rose that kept her going. Seeing Rose named in shul was a very special moment. Millie leaves behind special relationships across the country. Bubbie Millie was loved by all who came in contact with her and will truly be missed. She made a difference in everything she did and will never be forgotten. Funeral services will be held at Ahavath Torah Congregation, 1179 Central Street, Stoughton, MA on Sunday, July 18th at 12:30 PM followed by burial at Agudath Israel Cemetery in West Roxbury. Donations in her memory can be made to Ahavath Torah Congregation or to the Friends of the Sharon Council on Aging (FSCOA). www.stanetskycanton.com