Ada Rosenson Dorfeld

1931 - 2023

It is with great sadness to announce that Ada Rosenson Dorfeld of Pembroke Pines, FL (Century Village) passed away on March 31, 2023 at Haven Hospice in Gainesville, FL.

Born in Linden, NJ, Ada was the third child of six. The daughter of a self-made hardware store owner, she often worked in her father's store. Ada dreamed of what might be. Florida had caught her eye: the sunshine, orange groves, palm trees, and the beaches; and though most of the family had already moved down to Miami, Ada stayed behind in New Jersey to finish high school. After graduating from Linden High, she worked really hard to make her own way to get into college and to pay for it.

When the time came to leave for college, Ada headed to the University of Florida where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Education (1952) and a Master of Education (1955.) Ada also represented Mallory Hall as its student housing president.

Her whole life was about teaching, and more specifically teaching kids to learn how to read. She felt if you teach a child to read, they could learn anything. She was good at it, a gifted and passionate educator. So much so that as an intern teacher she taught at UF's P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School.

When she later moved to South Florida - and met her husband, Howard, at a Miami Beach dance hall of all places, (yes, they loved to dance!) Ada got her first "real" teaching job at Highland Park Elementary. She also taught Sunday school at Temple Israel of Greater Miami. In time, a new house in another part of Miami brought with it a new teaching opportunity, this one at nearby Cutler Ridge Elementary where she taught for many, many, many years. With a focus on Elementary Education, Ada dedicated her career to teaching in Miami-Dade County and was a positive influence on her students. She also tutored struggling upper-grade students and in the evenings taught classes in English as a Second Language. Many students have said she "was the best teacher they ever had!"

After their house in Cutler Ridge was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew, Ada and Howard moved to Century Village in Pembroke Pines, where she served as the Director of her 44-unit condo building M for over 27 years and did so as a volunteer! She made so many friendships there and was well respected by the residents and board members alike.

Ada was so fiercely independent and often would be described as having spunk! She was always a very special woman, full of life, energy, and humor. Wherever she went, people always remembered her and how she could raise the mood in a room whenever she entered it. She did things her own way, but also had a generous and giving heart.

In later life she was passionate about helping other young education students at the University of Florida, by providing financial support in the way of scholarships, and pledged further funding for the University of Florida College of Education. In Spring 2023 they will be naming the plaza at the education building the "ADA ROSENSON DORFELD PLAZA."

More recently in failing health, Ada moved up to Gainesville to spend her last days near her daughter Cindy and son-in-law Mike. Those days will be treasured forever.

May her memory be a blessing!

She is predeceased by the love of her life, husband Howard Dorfeld (married for forty-three years); parents Samuel B. "Sam" Rosenson and Rachel Malkenson; sisters Gladys Dorison, Sylvia Schenkel, Natalie Stein, and brother Neil O. Rosenson. Ada is survived by her adoring daughter Cynthia "Cindy" Dorfeld Bruckman (Michael); sister Bernice "Bunny" Rosenberg, nieces and nephews Anna Dorison Marlow, Lisa Kirschbaum (Dean,) Jeffrey Stein, Karen Ulm, Michael Rosenson (Robert,) Simone Goldstein (David,) Michael Rosenberg (Jeannie,) and sister-in-law Sheila Rosenson, as well as many grand nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Dorfeld scholarship fund at the University of Florida.
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