Charlotte Jane Miner

Yahrtzheit - Adar 3 - Yocheved bat Shalom

Eulogy written by Dan and Elyse Berkowitz:
Before I begin, I want to thank my mom, my aunts Amy, Kerry and Tina, and our incredible caregivers Kathy and Nina for their dedication and the care they gave my grandmother both recently and over the past years.

While my brother Dan, was not able to fly in from Israel to join us today, he is sad he could not be here together with us, and wanted to let you all know that he loves and misses you all. He collaborated with me to write this eulogy. - - - - - - - I think we can all agree that if my grandma Char was here today, she'd be playing a lively game of “who wore it best” with whoever was sitting next to her. She was effortlessly chic and always up for a good time.

Grandma absolutely loathed boredom and enthusiastically embraced the fun parts of life. Together with Grandpa Marvin, and at times with friends, she saw the world. She filled her home with exotic snacks, artwork, jewelry and textiles from these trips, making our visits to her home feel like an adventurous trip to a museum that included bowls of both real and fake candy and fruit. As kids, we most appreciated the gifts, she and Grandpa Marvin brought back for the grandchildren.

Growing up, Dan and I were so blessed to have Grandma nearby. She cheered us on at sporting events, came to dance recitals and was a treasured regular every Friday night at our Shabbos dinner table. She understood and exemplified the power of showing up for her loved ones.

As a kid, Dan remembers spending occasional overnighters at Nana Char and Grandpa Marvin’s home. Sleeping over at Nana Char’s was like a trip into the family past. Each bedroom was one of our aunt’s, complete with its original colors, furniture and even some dolls. He enjoyed watching TV and movies with Nana Char and Grandpa Marvin in their huge master bedroom, and eating omelettes with toast for breakfast.

We have fonds memories of her teaching us about picking fresh raspberries from the bushes in her backyard, putting edible flowers on salads for the perfect garnish, and “doctoring up” a cup of coffee with cream, sugar and all other condiments available at the Jewel-Osco coffee counter.

She was fiercely independent and strong willed. She encouraged us all to chart our own path. Grandma could be critical of her kids, but I will always remember how proud she was to share stories about my aunts, my mom and Hillary, Andrew and Katie. She would tell anyone who would listen about her daughters in LA who had befriended movie stars and how, then toddler, Katie gave the best granddaughter cuddles.

I spent a summer in college living with Grandma and she was one of my favorite roommates. We spent weekend afternoons walking along the lake together, sharing stories, checking out lakefront real estate, and talking about the theater or opera she had seen the night before. During the week, she’d help quiz me on political philosophy and game theory for a class I was taking. And I’d often return home from my summer job to find Grandma waiting for me with dinner ready or an outfit for me laid out for our fun dinner date together.

To my brother Dan, Grandma has always been Nana Char. Nana Char was one of 3 daughters born to Eva Cohn Wolberg and Samuel Shalom Wolberg on July 12, 1927. She and her sisters Roz and Wynn were a force to be reckoned with. They built the foundation of what has become a beautiful, large family and often tried to bring us all together. They shared a tremendous love of the arts and passed it down to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Nana Char was far from the stereotype of a Jewish grandmother. Yet she fondly remembered visiting her own grandparents in Crystal Lake for holidays and taking in the delectable smell of the fresh-baked challahs and Eastern European food from her Grandma Molly.

Nana Char, we ask you to forgive us for anything that we may have done to hurt you and for not being there for you, as often these past years.

Dan and I miss you Grandma, but we know that your legacy lives on in each of us. Each time we eat a piece of toffee, pull together a really killer outfit or just stop to recognize and appreciate something truly beautiful, we’ll think of you.>br/>

The Sentinel, Thursday, January 09, 1941; Page: 16
Society
Setting for the charming evening ceremony which marked the marriage of the former Miss Ethelywnne Wolberg to Aubrey Weinzelbaum was the ballroom of the Standard Club on Sunday, December 22. Clad in a lovely ivory satin gown with a long tulle veil falling from a seed pearl cap, the bride was attended by Miss Rose Cohn as maid of honor, Miss Jeanette Pineus, Miss Charlotte Wolberg, Miss Elaine Katz, Miss Geraldine Lewis and Miss Johanna Barbara Gross as bridesmaids, and Roslyn Wolberg and Alice Jean Cohn as "baby" bridesmaids. The groom, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Weinzelbaum of 551 Stratford Place, had Maurice Weinzelbaum as best man and his ushers included Stanley Ehrinberg, Max Gralnek, Harold Setron, Orville Rosen and Irving Berkson. Following a honeymoon trip to New York, Florida and the West Indies, the young couple will take up residence here next mont.

The Sentinel, Friday, May 21, 1942; Page: 22
Congregations
Congregation B'nai Zion, 1447 Pratt Boulevard. On Friday evening, May 22, the annual confirmation exercises will be held in the main Synagogue at 7:30 p.m. Dr. A.L. Lassen will confirm the following boys and girls:
Judith Baskin…Charlotte Jane Wolberg and Herbert Sheldon Wolf.

The Sentinel, Friday, November 6, 1947; Page: 15
Socially Speaking
Charlotte Wolberg Engage to Samuel Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wolberg of 825 Michigan avenue, Wilmette, announce the engagement of their daughter Charlotte to Mr. Samuel Burton Lewis, son of Mr. and Mrs. I. L. Lewis of Highland Park, Illinois.

The Sentinel, Friday, September 23, 1948; Page: 16
South American Honeymoon for Wolberg-Lewis Couple
Charlotte Jane Wolberg, daughter of the Samuel Wolbergs of Wilmette, was married recently to Samuel Burton Lewis, son of Mr. and Mrs. I. L. Lewis of Highland Park.
The traditional wedding gown used by the bride was previously worn by the matron of honor, and sister of the bride, Mrs. Aubrey Weinzelbaum. This ivory satin ensemble has a bertha collar trimmed in seed pearls, the design of which is duplicated with the same tiny pearls on the close fitting cap. Full veil-ing and high gloves complete the outfit.
The bride bouquet was compose of a swarm of baby orchids surrounding the large center orchid.
Accompanying the bride down the aisle at the Drake hotel, were her six bridesmades, Lois Lewis, sister of the groom, Harriet and Helene Plotkin, Rosalind Wolberg, Alice Jean Cohn, and Betty Levine of Warsaw, Indiana. Mr. Lewis chose as his best man his brother Jordon. The ushers were Samuel D. Plotkin, Samuel N. Plotkin, Avron Gensberg, Burton Horwich, David Loewenberg and David Goldberg of Sharon, Pennsylvania.
Having recently returned from South America, the young couple will reside on the near north side of Chicago.

The Sentinel, Friday, October 5, 1950; Page: 13
Society
Deidre Lewis Born Late Last Month To Samuel Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Burton Lewis of 424 Melrose Avenue announce the birth of a daughter, Deidre, on August 23. The maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wolberg of 825 Michigan Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois. The paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. I. L. Lewis of 2721 South Deer Park Drive, Highland Park, Illinois.