Sophia Gumenick

GUMENICK, SOPHIA, The board of trustees, administration, physicians, employees and volunteers of Mount Sinai Medical Center & Miami Heart Institute pay tribute to Sophia Gumenick, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and a dedicated supporter of our hospital. Sophia Gumenick touched the lives of many with her talent for making people feel special and the ease with which she could turn strangers into friends. She inspired people with her joy and generosity and was loved by all who had the pleasure of knowing her. Mrs. Gumenick was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on Nov. 27, 1902. In the early 1950's, she settled in Miami Beach with her husband, Nathan, who established Gumenick Properties, a successful development firm. They went on to build Miami Beach's first high-rise apartment complex, pioneering the concept of towering rental homes that characterize South Florida's skyline today. That historic building, Southgate Towers, still stands at 900 West Avenue in Miami Beach. The Gumenick's philanthropic endeavors have also helped shape Miami Beach. They were members of the Ambassadors of the Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders, the Founders Club of Mount Sinai, and they were Humanitarians in the Society of Mount Sinai, the organization that represents the hospital's highest level of giving. In addition to being an original member of the Founders Club, which began in 1955, Nathan Gumenick also was a Life Trustee of the hospital. The couple is best known for their generous gift to build the Sophia and Nathan S. Gumenick Ambulatory Care Center at Mount Sinai, which was dedicated in 1983. The couple also made a major gift that led to the Ambulatory Care Center's expansion in 1990. In addition, the Gumenicks created the Gumenick Chapel at Temple Israel of Miami, where they were longtime members and where Nathan had previously been vice president and honorary president. The Gumenicks also funded a chapel at Temple Beth Ahabah in Richmond, Virginia. They also established a wing in the Burn Center of the University of Miami/ Jackson Memorial Hospital; the Alzheimer's Respite Center of the Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged at Douglas Gardens, and an Alzheimer's wing at the Virginia Methodist Home in Richmond. Additionally, the Gumenicks established an Ambulatory Care Center at the Medical College of Virginia, and a Chair for Judiac Studies at the College of William in Williamsburg, Va. The Gumenicks also were involved in numerous civic organizations including Westview Country Club, Greater Miami Opera Association and the United Way of Greater Miami. Nathan Gumenick died in 1996 at age 96, after 74 years of marriage. Mrs. Gumenick was the mother of two children, five grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. All of us at Mount Sinai & Miami Heart extend our heartfelt condolences to the Gumenick family. We were privileged to be among the beneficiaries of Mrs. Gumenick's warmth, kindness, compassion and generosity. To visit this Guest Book Online, go to www.herald.com/obituaries.