Ursula Schiff

Ursula Schiff passed peacefully in her sleep on August 16, 2016 in Edgewater, Maryland at the age of 93. Ursula was a long-time resident for more than 50 years of Soundview Drive, Port Washington, New York. More recently, she and her husband, Sam, moved to a condo in Annapolis, Maryland, and then to Charlestown Village in Catonsville. She spent the last three years living at Brightview South River. Her friends called her "Ursie." She was married for 70 years to her loving husband, Samuel "Sam" Schiff, who died in 2013. She is survived by her loving children: daughter, Diane and son-in-law, Bob Kramer, of Arnold, Maryland; and son, Dennis Schiff of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Ursula has three sisters, Sonya Dunfield of Sun Valley, Idaho; Anita Jorgenson of Lords Valley, Pennsylvania; and Trudy Lord of Dudley, Georgia. Ursula was born on May 14, 1923, in Dresden, Germany. As a child she grew up in New York City (Brooklyn). Ursie always enjoyed sharing stories about how she met, dated, and married Sam. Her mother recruited Sam as a young college student (Ursula was three years younger) to teach her daughter French. Ursie didn't want to learn French because she did not want to go to France. She agreed to see Sam but only if they could go to the movies instead of studying French. They were married on June 17, 1943 after he received orders to report to the Army and knew he was going to the European theater. Some of Ursie's favorite stories include: her first job running a bakery, Ebengers in Brooklyn next to Ebbits Field and serving the Brooklyn Dodgers; buying her first home in Port Washington in 1959; raising her two children - Diane and Dennis; spending a year in England in 1962-63; and serving as a Democratic party election judge for more than 30 years in Nassau County, Long Island, NY. Growing up, Ursie enjoyed chaperoning her sister Sonya with Anita and Trudy to skating competitions and following Sonya's successful skating career together with summers in Lake Placid as she accompanied her sisters for skating. After she and Sam were married, Ursie loved the year the family spent in England (Midlands) in 1962-63 when Sam did an exchange teaching program and the family traveled around Europe. Ursie found great satisfaction tidying up and running a clean, well-ordered house that was always cozy and inviting. She loved reflecting on her earlier life and her treasured relationship with her husband of 70 years but, most of all, making her kids and grandkids happy brought her great joy. Her daughter, Diane, and husband, Bob Kramer brought three wonderful children into the world-Daria Darby of Severna Park, Maryland; Sonya Smith of Kirkland, Washington; and Annie Larson of Arlington, Virginia. Her son, Dennis Schiff, is the parent of two children, Aaron Schiff of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Brittney Schiff of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Ursie helped raise them as their Nana growing up. Six great-grandchildren-Treve and Brie Darby; Connor and McKenna Smith; and Aubrey and Ashley Larson, complete the family picture. The family has requested in lieu of flowers a donation go to the Port Washington Library Foundation at 1 Library Drive, Port Washington, New York 11050, in honor of Ursula Schiff, wife of Samuel Schiff.