Adele Oppenheim

On March 1, 2026, Adele Oppenheim died in Easthampton, Massachusetts. A longtime resident of Easthampton and Northampton, Adele was a beloved wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and close friend.

Adele was born in Brooklyn in 1929 to Elias and Selma Swing, Jewish immigrants who came to America to start a new life[1.1]. Later Adele moved to the Bronx, where she attended James Monroe High School and Hunter College.

In 1950, Adele married Henry Oppenheim, a union that would last 63 years. She and Henry eventually settled in Northampton, Massachusetts, where they raised their children and built a strong community of friends.

As a young mother of three children, Adele began work as a teacher, first as adjunct faculty at the University of Massachusetts, teaching composition and literature and later as an English teacher at Northampton High School. With the encouragement of her eldest daughter and husband, Adele ultimately changed career paths, enrolling at the Smith College School for Social Work. In 1977, at age 48, she was one of the first people of her generation to do so.

Adele received her Masters in Social Work and subsequently became clinical director at the Hamden District Mental Health Clinic in Springfield, supervising staff and interns. Upon leaving the clinic after 13 years, she established a private psychotherapy practice, where she offered adult individual treatment until fully retiring at the age of 87. Being a therapist was a deeply meaningful part of her life; her skills and profound ability to connect made a great impact of the clients and the greater community.

When Adele was nearly 70, her husband Henry began to show early signs of dementia.

Rather than feeling despondent about his illness, Adele considered her daily visits with him to be the highlight of her day. In 2006, Adele moved to the Lathrop Retirement Community in Easthampton, where even into her 90's, she facilitated a support group for residents.

To her children and grandchildren in particular, Adele imparted her life experiences, through memoir writing and storytelling. Her dedication to her Jewish heritage, Yiddish culture and social justice were deeply embedded in her identity. Adele will be lovingly remembered for her empathy, astute insight, exuberance, and unwavering devotion to family and friends.

Adele is survived by her children Lisa, Jody and Keith, son-in-law David, daughter-in-law Susan, grandchildren Laila, Melanie, Eric, Daniel, Rebecca and Ellen, and great-grandchildren Asher, Zoe, Gabriella, Jacob, Anna, Noah, Leo and Milo.

Adele's funeral will be held at Congregation B'nai Israel in Northampton at 11am Wednesday, March 3rd, with burial to follow afterwards at the B'nai Israel Cemetery located at 476 N King St, Northampton, MA 01060. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the Congregation B'nai Israel's Abundance Farm, to the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst or to a charity of your choice.