ILENE BLOCK

BLOCK--Ilene. Loved by all who knew her: wife of 40 years of Harry Rabinovich; mother of Michael Block; daughter of the late Ruth and A.J. Block; sister of Debbie Endo; sister-in-law to Keith and Beth Ann; aunt/honorary mother to Sarah, Corey, and Seth Endo, Kurt Lichtman, Daniel and Ben Wincott; great-aunt ("grauntie")/honorary grandmother to Anna, Sophie, Naomi and Oliver. Dear cousin and friend of too many to name. Ilene was born February 15, 1942 in the Bronx. She lived most recently in Philadelphia and traveled the world but her heart never left New York. Ilene's generosity was legendary. She shared her love of ice cream, travel, skiing, and beachcombing. She brought along the next generations on many of her adventures, patiently teaching how to get on a chairlift or find quality beach glass. She shared interesting cultural items and delicious food from her travels with the many special people in her life. Ilene cared deeply about making people feel comfortably at home and sharing joy through togetherness. She would travel anywhere to help a loved one settle into a new city or to celebrate a milestone. She never missed a birthday of her adoring great-nieces and nephew. Like her father, she was always ready to jump in the car and drive to see family and friends or greet travelers at the airport. In her professional life, she worked as a psychiatric social worker, through which she formed a special bond with the students she supervised. Ilene graduated from James Monroe High School, Simmons College, and NYU School of Social Work. Her true gift was to treat everyone she met with love and generosity.