Hyman Zipkin

Hyman David Zipkin (Hy) Nov. 21, 1915 - Sept. 30, 2011 Hyman David Zipkin (Hy) passed away peacefully at his home on September 30th, 2011, two months before his 96th birthday. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. Hy was born in Detroit, Michigan on November 21, 1915, the son of Abraham David Zipkin and Manya Minitzer Zipkin, both Russian-Jewish immigrants. When he was 3 years old the family moved to the Boyle Heights district of Los Angeles, where Hy and his younger siblings, (Benjamin, Ruth, Nathan, and Henrietta) grew up. The family managed a small laundry business, in which Hy and his brothers and sisters helped. After graduating from Los Angeles Polytechnic High School in 1932, Hy worked his way through college, first attending Los Angeles City College and ultimately graduating from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in economics. In 1939 he married Soffia Ruth Tilles. When World War II broke out, Hy joined the Navy. He was stationed in Hawaii, where he served as a meteorologist. When the war ended, he and Soffie settled in Los Angeles. Their first two children, Paul and Nina, were born at that time. Hy first worked for the Jewish Big Brothers organization and then began his life's work as an educator, starting as an elementary school teacher. In 1951, Hy and Soffie moved to Berkeley, where Hy's second son and last child, Robert (Bob), was born. Hy joined the Richmond Unified School District where he worked as a guidance counselor for 35 years. During this time he completed a masters degree in education from U.C. Berkeley. Throughout his career, he helped thousands of children who were having difficulty in school. He was respected and loved by teachers, principals, parents, and students. Though his own life was blighted by tragedy - the passing of his beloved wife Soffia in 1962, at the early age of 47 - he continued to provide help and counsel to the students entrusted to him. Soon after his retirement in 1986, Hy became involved with the US China Peoples Friendship Association and spent two years teaching English in China. Soon after his return he met and married Hong Xi-Jun (Jean) from Shanghai, China, a marriage that endured until his death. During their 23 years together, Hy and Jean enjoyed a wide circle of friends and took many interesting trips together. A voracious and eclectic reader, Hy also loved classical music (particularly Brahms), crossword puzzles, Yiddish folk songs, spoonerisms, limericks, and all manor of word play. He was a gifted craftsman, and could build and repair just about anything. He will be greatly missed for his warmth, generosity, intelligence, wisdom and humor. Hy is survived by his wife, Jean Hong Zipkin, his sister, Henrietta Steiniger of Mendocino, California, his children, Paul Zipkin of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Nina Zipkin-Berry (Frank) of Mountain View, California, and Dr. Robert Zipkin (Pam) of Burlingame, California; and his grandchildren, Joe (Emily), Leah, Leo, Ben and Anna, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and friends. He will be greatly missed by Jean's daughter and son-in-law, Lena and Eric Shirley of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and their sons, Wendell and Wilbur Shirley. On October 4th, 2011, Hy was laid to rest in the Golden Gate National Cemetery. A celebration of Hy's life will he held at a later date. The family requests that well-wishers make a donation in Hyman Zipkin's name to the charity of their choice, in lieu of flowers or other remembrance.