Nelly Leibinger

Nelly LeibingerAiken, S.C. Mrs. Nelly Leibinger, née Ocherovsky, died on July 14, 2011 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers after a long illness and having suffered an ischemic stroke on May 19, 2011. Nelly had a very rare blood disorder called Cold Agglutinin Disease, a type of autoimmune hemolytic anemia. It was first discovered at Beaufort Memorial Hospital in 1995 by Dr. John D. Rozich. For about sixteen years, first under the care of Dr. W. Marcus Newberrry III in Beaufort, then under the care of Dr. Danijela S. Zotovic in Aiken, an inordinate amount of folic acid made it possible for Nelly to continue living with a low, yet tolerable blood count. Nelly was born on July 4, 1934 in Paris, France, to Russian parents, Michel Ocherovsky and Sarah Ocherovsky, née Reicyn. She had one brother. After having grown up in the Southwest of France, Nelly came to the United States as a young adult. She met her husband, Rolf A. Leibinger, while studying for her Bachelor's degree in New York City and got married in 1958. She gave birth to their son Eric in 1963 and to their daughter Nina in 1965. After spending nine years in Hannover, Germany, from 1971 to 1980, and then five years in Neptune Beach, Florida, Nelly followed her husband to Beaufort, S.C., where he taught at Beaufort High School and USC-Beaufort. Nelly began teaching French at USC-Beaufort and became an Adjunct Assistant Professor. For a few years, she also taught at Beaufort Academy. The family resided on Cat Island over fourteen years and loved it. In relative isolation, Nelly was able to follow her passions: reading voraciously, painting, and listening to classical music. Hardly anyone knows what an expert she was on composers, conductors, world-renowned musicians, and their renditions. The love for music came from her mother, who had studied piano under Alexander Glazunov at the conservatory of St. Petersburg in Russia. Nelly and Rolf moved to Aiken County in 2000 and they have loved the scenery in the beautiful horse country. Nelly was predeceased by her brother-in-law Karl Heinz Leibinger in 1962, by her father Michel in 1967, by her mother Sarah in 1974, by her father-in-law Leo Leibinger in 1982, her mother-in-law Johanna Leibinger in 2000, and by her brother André on September 4, 2010. Surviving are her loving husband Rolf A. Leibinger, Wexford Mills, Wagener, S.C.; her son Eric J. Leibinger, her daughter-in-law Marcia Leibinger, her grandson Nicholas (8 years), all of Jacksonville, FL; her daughter Nina D. Leibinger-Safraoui, her son-in-law Pen Safraoui, her grandson Yannick (19 years), her granddaughter Venissia (15 years), and her grandson Kalvyn (2 years), all of Paris, France; and her brother-in-law Teddy Leibinger, Paracuru, Ceara, Brazil. Aiken Regional Medical Centers merit the thanks of the whole family. Special appreciation goes to the nurses in PCU on the 2nd floor. The family wants to thank the nurses on the 3rd floor most especially; their care for Nelly was superb and their concern for the rest of the family remarkable. The staff of Regency Hospice and Dr. Leo Muniz were outstanding; all members of the team have earned the family's gratitude. Many thanks go the the medical staff: Dr. Clifford Staggs in the Emergency Department; Drs. Ansermo L. Arthur, Dieter L. Voegele, Richard von Buedingen, David S. Keisler for their moral support; Dr. Sitki M. Ergul for his efforts to raise Nelly's blood count and his moral support; Dr. Richard A. Eisenberg for calling back with the results of MR/MRA; Dr. Reddiah B. Mummaneni for his comforting words and support; Dr. William T. Besson for visiting with Nelly and his kind words; Mr. Eric D. Mulbaier and staff for their time and uplifting words; Dr. Miroslav B. Zotovic for his efforts on Nelly's behalf. Heartfelt thanks go to Carol Nolan, Clinical Nurse Manager, Critical Care Services at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. She was there for Nelly's husband when he needed help most: after his wife's stroke, during hospice, and within minutes after Nelly's last breath. Most of all, the family wants to thank Dr. Danijela S. Zotovic of Aiken Internal Medicine Associates for the many years she has cared for Nelly. Dr. Zotovic is a medical professional who has always shown her humaneness and typifies how every doctor should be: caring, compassionate, and professional. The Memorial Service for Nelly, for which her husband put together a musical program to frame and illustrate the story of her life, was held on July 16th, 2011 in the Chapel of Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home in Aiken, S.C.