Roslyn Shirley Isaacs

Even as her memory deteriorated, she maintained an infectious gift for gab, a playful personality and a smile that lit up a room — especially when sharing special time with her family. Facing escalating health challenges, Roslyn still loved to laugh and sing, never taking herself too seriously. She was a warm, loving spirit and a loyal friend who proved resilient and strong in her last stage of life.

Whether winning chocolates in Bingo, singing beloved classics where she still remembered the lyrics, expressing her love for flowers and all things pink, or swooning over photos of toddlers and infants, she found happiness through the very end.

Roslyn — or “Rozzy,” “Muz,” “Muth,” and “Eema” (grandma) as she was sometimes called — grew up in Chicago and attended Senn and Lakeview High Schools. She graduated from Lake Forest College and trained at Pestalozzi-Froebel Teachers College to become an early education teacher, and for a brief time, a principal.

Roslyn married Jimmy Allen Isaacs on Aug. 6, 1950 at the Orrington Hotel in Evanston. They celebrated a 70th wedding anniversary together before he died in 2021.

The couple spent most of their married life in the Chicago area — in the city and then in Highland Park where they raised their two children. They later moved to Wilmette where they lived for more than 30 years.

Roslyn had a passion for home decor and fashion. In the most likable way, she would consider how a given space could be “fixed up” if she thought improvements were possible. And improvements were ALWAYS possible. She was an unofficial consultant in decorating her children’s homes and eager to share her enthusiasm about new decorating ideas or wardrobe recommendations.

In her final years, she often expressed heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to those who cared for her, and she was beloved in her new surroundings.

She is survived by her daughter, Carol (Jim) Cowen of Buffalo Grove; her son, Michael (Pamela Hobbs) Isaacs of Chicago; and her granddaughter, Kacey Cowen, of Winter Garden, Fla.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Funeral service Thursday, June 12, 1PM at Weinstein & Piser Funeral Home, 111 Skokie Blvd, Wilmette, IL 60091. Interment private. For information: 847-256-5700