Esther Edelman

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 11 2016, 3:31:29 UTC
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Sep 20 2021, 12:26:42 UTC

Esther (Asner) Edelman, 95, died on September 9, 2014 in Los Angeles.

She was born in Kansas City to Yiddish-speaking eastern European immigrants and lived with them and four siblings above their scrap metal business.

Prior to World War II she received a sociology degree from the University of Wisconsin and returned to Kansas City to practice social work. During the war she earned an airplane pilot’s license and spent two and half years for the Navy on Kodiak Island, Alaska. After the war she met Milton Edelman and followed him to Chicago, where she took a job as an office manager. In 1948 they married and in 1950 he joined the SIU faculty in Carbondale, where she lived for 60 years. Milton died in 2006. They were founding members of the Beth Jacob synagogue. Esther campaigned in support of school integration in the 1960’s and volunteered for many years at the SIU Women’s Center providing assistance to women at risk of abuse. She co-organized and then led KASI, which helped women in need find abortion services. She did graduate studies in Linguistics at SIU. She was a prolific gardener, providing organic vegetables to friends throughout the growing season for years. She had an abiding interest in birds and spent much of her life singing. She is remembered for her interest in other people, her knack for celebrating whatever she admired in the world around her, and her immunity to intimidation. Her life was a blessing to those who knew her.

Esther is survived by four children, Elaine Edelman of San Diego; Kalman Edelman of Los Angeles; Barbara Edelman of Pittsburgh; and Harry Edelman of Minneapolis; three siblings, Labe Asner of Kansas City; Eve Asner and Ed Asner of Los Angeles; and seven grandchildren.

A Graveside Memorial Service by the family of Esther (Asner) Edelman will be Sunday, October 12, 2014 at 11:00 am in Pleasant Grove Memorial Park-Beth Jacob Garden.

Anyone wishing to commemorate her legacy may donate in her name to the Southern Illinois Audubon Society, P.O. Box 222, Carbondale, IL 62903-0222.

Crain Pleasant Grove-Murdale Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.