Sylvia Farber

OBITUARY FOR SYLVIA FARBER
Sylvia Farber, daughter of Phillip and Sophie Galperin, died on November 22, 2018. She was 100 years old. Sylvia was born on July 26, 1918 in Philadelphia, PA. Sylvia is survived by her sons Steven Farber (Marguerite) of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Jeffrey Farber of Montpelier, Vermont. She is also survived by her six grandchildren Jamie Rosenthal (Eytan), Pittsburgh, PA; Daniel Farber (Avia), Jerusalem, Israel; Zoey Farber Barnes (Craig), Denver, Colorado; Avi Farber, Arroyo Seco, NM; and Joshua and Anna Farber, Montpelier, VT., and her ten great-grandchildren Ayala, Talia, Ashira, Naomi, Atara, and Elichaim Rosenthal; Yo’ad, Yair, and Yarden Farber; and Zadie Barnes. She is also deeply missed by Nicole Kathryn Vigil and her husband Ted Vigil.
Sylvia is also survived by her many nieces and nephews (Marsha, Alan, Paul, Jason, Stanley, and Ruth) and cousins and the extended Galperin family. Sylvia was preceded in death by her beloved husband Isadore (Poke), who she lost when she was 43 years old, her sisters Sarah Raske (Eli) and Mollye Rothstein (Albert) and brother Alexander Galperin (Edna), and her step-grandson Clayton Huff. She is also missed by her dear friends at Encino Villa where she lived for many years before her death.
Sylvia grew up on Marshall Street in Philadelphia, the shopping street for the immigrant Jewish community. Her parents had a street peddler’s cart and then later a dry goods store that the family lived above. She was a child of the depression and during World War II she was a Rosy the Riveter at the Philadelphia Naval Yard and the only woman on the Marshall Street Air Warning group sponsored by the local synagogue. She met her future husband when they worked at shoe stores in the same neighborhood. They married, had two sons, and opened a Mom and Pop grocery in North Philadelphia. They also raised a nephew Jerry Fischer from age 5 and were the home base for two older nephews Harvey and Stanley Fischer. After she became a widow, she raised her sons and nephews and continued to live above and run the tiny store.
Sylvia moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1984 to become a “Bubba” and she adopted Santa Fe as her home town. She made herself feel right at home regularly attending Temple Beth Shalom, working as a bookkeeper, and hiking in the mountains. After she “retired” at age 75, Sylvia became a Foster Grandparent at Carlos Gilbert Elementary School and spent 18 years working with Mrs. Dolores Pong as her mentor and guide. She retired again when she was 93 years old and stopped driving. She was famous for making her delicious banana cakes for every occasion. Sylvia attributed her long life to being active, not taking medicine unless absolutely necessary, and watching her diet very carefully. Though she slowed down as she aged, she still walked every day in every form of weather and she thoroughly enjoyed her 100th birthday party surrounded by family and friends.

Memorial Services will be held at Temple Beth Shalom, 205 E. Barcelona Road, on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 3 P.M. Burial will take place at the Memorial Gardens Jewish Section on Rodeo Road immediately following the services. In lieu of flowers Sylvia’s family requests that memorial contributions be made to Temple Beth Shalom or the Food Depot or Kitchen Angels. The family is deeply grateful for the dedicated care she was provided by Evangeline (Vangie) Salazar during the past year. The family appreciates that care she received from the staff at Ambercare Hospice and Pacifica Senior Living at the end of her life.