Elsie Dattel

Elsie Dattel

Greenville

Funeral services for Elsie Marks Dattel, 100, of Greenville, MS were held at 2 p.m. Friday at Hebrew Union Congregation, Greenville, MS. She died Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, at Magnolia Gardens, Greenville, MS. Ms. Dattel was laid to rest at the Jewish Cemetery, Greenville, MS. Boone Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements

Elsie was born Sept. 23, 1913 in Memphis, TN, the youngest daughter to her parents, Joseph and Rose Marks. Her father died when she was very young. So her family moved to Webb, MS to be near extended family, where they opened a dry goods store.

After graduating from high school, Elsie moved to Memphis where she worked for a few years. On July 8, 1938, she married Isadore Dattel. They lived in Sunflower, MS before finally settling in Ruleville, MS where she lived for 57 years and where she raised her three sons.

Mr. and Mrs. Dattel were members of the Jewish Adath Israel Congregation (where Mr. Dattel's father was one of the founding members) in Cleveland, MS. Together, they immersed themselves in the community spirit, friendliness, civility, and civic responsibilities which underpin small towns. Mrs. Dattel, a devoted mother, was active in the PTA and school events—anything that involved her children and those of her friends. She was a committed and long term member of the Jewish Sisterhood group at Adath Israel in Cleveland. An accomplished pianist, she loved music all of her life. A voracious reader, a trait that she has passed on to her sons, she was a fixture at the library.

Always the first to read the sports page in a house of three boys and a husband, she loved watching football and even arguing about which team had the best players. She was a legendary baker. Everyone—from family, neighbors, friends or strangers—craved her pound cake, chocolate cake, caramel cake, date bars, and raspberry tarts, just to name a few. Her prowess as a bridge player and renowned baker meant she always exchanged her bridge wins in pound cake and other sweets.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Isadore and her sister, Hannah.

She is survived by her three sons, Jerome Dattel and his wife, Cathy, of Hattiesburg, MS, Gene Dattel and his wife, Licia, of Lakeville, CT, and Richard Dattel of Greenville, MS; three grandchildren, Ashley Dattel of Miami, FL, Hilary Rosenberg of Chicago, IL, and Merritt McGowan and her husband, David of Scituate, MA; and three great-grandchildren: Ethan, Ava, and Ivy.

She cherished her 100th birthday celebration this September where she was surrounded by family and close friends. The family would especially like to thank those people who cared for her in the end.

The family requests that memorial gifts be made to Hebrew Union Congregation Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 1333, Greenville, MS 38701 or a charity of choice.