Malca Muskin

MUSKIN, MALCA (KAGAN, MOSES) PORTLAND, OR

Mrs. Malca Muskin, age 98, left our natural world on April 22 in the loving embrace of her family.

This Mom, Grandma, Nanny, Great Grandma Malca was preceded in death by two loving husbands: Dr. Louis Kagan (1960) and Sidney Muskin (2003).

Malca now leaves behind a daughter Elaine (Mel) Ball of Portland, OR; a son David (Bev) Kagan of Grand Rapids, MI; grandchildren: Lawrence (Martina) Hrubes of Prague, CZ; Tamara Ball of Vancouver, BC; Lisa (Kagan) (Mark) Rapoport of Grand Rapids, MI; Jeff (Paige) Kagan of Boulder, CO; and many nieces and nephews. Sadly, Malca was also preceded in death by her loving grandson, Robbie. Additionally, she leaves behind five great-grandchildren (Kamilla, Madelen, Abby, Ethan and Caleb) each of whom filled her heart with unmeasured joy. Yet a litany of locations and relations merely scratches the surface of this "old world neo-renaissance woman" -- this family matriarch -- who, despite never going to college, was learned, wise, continuously curious, graceful, engaged, dignified and oh-so funny in her own ladylike way.

Malcapuck (or Pucky) was her childhood nickname from her days in the northern hard-scrabble nickel mining town of Sudbury, ON. Truth be told she never fully left those deep roots of her full family: four brothers, three sisters and her parents, Hascal and Annie. In Sudbury she played basketball, tennis, ran track, and studied violin. And as it turned out, the foundation of her life became family, music and tennis.

In 1939 she married Louis Kagan of Toronto. Malca and Lou's children, Elaine and David, predictably were her proudest accomplishments.

After Lou's 1960 passing she married Sidney Muskin and moved to Grand Rapids, MI for 42 years. There she was active in the local Jewish community. She founded the Shir Shalom choir, served as President of Hadassah, President of Ahavas Israel Sisterhood, cooked a great brisket and at the age of 84 celebrated her Bat Mitzvah.

She loved and fed her fashion passion as a saleswoman working at Jacobson's Department Store for over 20 years. At age 89 she soared above Oregon's meadows and vineyards in a hot air balloon ride. Oh the thrill!

Malca was thoroughly Canadian, but she loved her new country, too. She proved it in 1999 when she became a U.S. citizen. Then, two years after Sidney passed in 2003, she moved to Portland, OR where daughter Elaine oversaw Mom's every need.

Home was the Rose Schnitzer Manor and life became a swirl of restaurants, concerts, sightseeing, visits with friends and ultimately the exigencies of increased caregiving. And in that regard we must mention another "daughter": Carmen Sanchez. Carmen was Malca's primary official caregiver. Her love and dedication enriched Mom's life in ways both physical and emotional.

Then, after being apart for 54 years, she will be buried next to her first husband Louis Kagan, at Beth Tzedec cemetery.