Rosalyn Kaffee, a resident of Sandy Springs Georgia lived a long life of 97 years. She was born and grew up in New York City and raised her children in New Rochelle, New York. In her retirement years, she relocated to Florida and then to Atlanta.
Her immediate and extended Mishpacha recall Roz « Nana » as the matriarch with a deep commitment to family. Enormously proud of her children and grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, and their many achievements, Roz may have been one of the country’s leading kvellers.
Roz attended Hunter College, worked as a 4th-5th grade teacher at Ward Elementary School in New Rochelle. She touted the virtues of education and many of her former student say she was one of their best teachers.
Roz and her husband Norman enjoyed intellectual pursuits, current events, bridge and reading, and loved to socialize. Roz was a formidable highly skilled Bridge player - with bi-weekly games well into her 90s.
Roz had a genuine love of life and people. Her smile and laughter were routine, as was her quick wit and banter. Roz and Norman were long time members of the Willow Ridge country club in Harrison, New York and Woodlands county club in Tamarac, Florida. As a couple Roz and Norman would dine out, socialize and dance every weekend with a cadre of friends.
Roz’s favorite food groups were chocolate and ice cream. She had a passion for fashion, dressed impeccably every day, and routinely flipped through the pages of vogue and glamour. Roz naturally epitomized style and was a self-declared decorator with a knack for rearranging rooms to their best advantage. Even if you preferred yours arranged differently, you knew to let her have at it and change the room back later.
Roz’s chutzpah extended to all facets of her life. She had deep convictions, and was never afraid to use her voice or encourage others to speak up. Her commitment to helping others was evident in her life long devotion to charitable work. During her eighties, she received a Jewish Woman of Achievement Award.
Family was at the core of Roz’s life. All of us who were lucky enough to be loved by her were blessed to have her in our lives.
She is survived by her three children Barbara Atkins (husband Richard), Stephen Kaffee, and Patricia Margulies (husband Sol) and six grandchildren Pamela, Benjamin, Ethan, Elliott, Peter, and Eric, and great-grandchildren Jordan, TJ, Emily, Jacob, Adien, Hannah and Lucy and great- grandchildren by marriage Kaley and Anthony.
She joins in death her pre-deceased beloved husband Norman, parents Phillip and Pauline, sisters Molly, Yettie, and Libby, daughter-in-law Naomi, and granddaughter Betsy. May each of their memories be a blessing.
May Roz’s life and death open our hearts to flow with deeds of loving kindness, acts of generosity, a passion for justice, a dedication to mitzvot.
A graveside service will be held on Sunday, Mother's Day at 10am at Arlington Memorial Park, 201 Mt Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, Georgia. Family and friends will gather after at a nearby private residence on Riverside Drive, Sandy Springs.
