Pearl Wachman

She died surrounded by loved ones, peacefully listening to her favorite song, “I Could Have Danced All Night,” from the musical, My Fair Lady, the perfect anthem for a life packed full of ebullience. Pearl lived fully from sunrise to sunset, leaving a beautiful afterglow for the many souls who loved her to treasure her memory as a blessing.

The daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants and youngest of seven children, Pearl was born in New York, NY on September 18, 1918, to the late Solomon and Rose Cohen. Teacher in the New York City Public Schools and leader in the union for several decades. Beloved wife of the late Isidore “Issie” Wachman (next to whom she is buried at Beth Moses Cemetery in West Babylon, NY ) and, subsequently, the late Harold “Harry” Champagne. Known as “Aunt Pearl” to her many nieces and nephews, she took great joy in being the matriarch of a large family. A force of nature, who did not retire until she was 90 years old, Pearl focused on staying sharp, speaking truth to power, nurturing friendships (new and old), and keeping her large family close.

Pearl’s arrival in this world was, to say the least, unexpected. Her parents had six children, the youngest of whom was thirteen when, in the spring of 1918, Pearl’s 52-year-old mother went to a doctor in New York City’s Lower East Side, and was told, “Mrs. Cohen, I think you have a tumor.” To which she replied, “I think I’m probably pregnant.” So she went to another doctor, this time at Mount Sinai Hospital. There the first doctor was proven wrong and Rose Cohen was proven right. Several months later, the surprise baby would be born – a full 20 years younger than her oldest sibling. An older brother insisted that she be named Pearl because she was an unexpected gem, while an older sister was mortified that her mother might be pregnant at her upcoming wedding.

Pearl was raised in Manhattan and graduated from Hunter College High School and Hunter College. Her father, Sol Cohen, a small business owner, came to the United States from Russia in 1910 during a period of violent anti-Semitism in their hometown of Slonim, now Belarus. He was followed by Pearl’s sister and then her mother and five brothers.

Pearl and Harold “Harry” Champagne had two children, Alan and Stephen. When Harry died in 1954, she was left needing to support herself and her two young sons, so she took the New York State teachers’ exams and taught 5th grade math in Queens. In 1960, she married Isidore “Issie” Wachman. He adopted her two boys, Alan and Stephen. After Issie died in 1962, Pearl took a job teaching full-time and joined the teacher’s union, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT).

She retired from teaching in 1988, at age 70, and went to work for the UFT, setting up a learning facility for retired teachers in Queens with her longtime friend Doris Brill. The pair became known as the “Queens of Queens.” They were the coordinators for the UFT Si Beagle Program which offered courses, seminars and trips to provide retirees with mental and social stimulation.

Pearl held a variety of positions in the union over the years and was a recognized leader. She was a chapter chairwoman, Delegate Assembly representative, Retired Teachers Chapter (RTC) Executive Board member, delegate to the national conventions of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the state convention of the United Teachers (NYSUT), and a member of the union’s Supplemental Health Insurance Program board. She also lobbied for the union in Washington, D.C. and Albany, particularly for universal health care. A highlight was when she was invited to Washington D.C. to meet then-First Lady Hillary Clinton.

Pearl was a beacon of wisdom and vitality. In an interview published in a UFT newsletter several years ago, Pearl acknowledged that people may have things that they do not want to do or are scared to do in their lives. Her advice: “Get up and do it!” Pearl retired from the union job at age 90 and soon after moved to Milton, where her son Stephen and his family lived. She continued to live independently at Fuller Village where she was involved in almost every aspect of the community.

Pearl’s great interest in local, state, national and world events led to another fascinating opportunity. At 98 years old, Pearl became the host of a Milton Cable Access Television program called “Fuller Talks,” that reviewed everything from the health of the local deer population to the most critical issues facing the nation. Pearl said that doing the show let other people know that the older residents in town are “still acting, thinking, and doing.” “We’re not sitting around and twiddling our thumbs,” she said. In an interview with the Milton Times on September 27, 2018 to highlight her 100th birthday, Pearl described herself as “a political junkie,” saying she believed political action was important for the betterment of people. “There is no reason why children should go without food. We’re a nation rich in national resources and brains.” Remarkably, at age 102, Pearl, a lifetime progressive Democrat, stepped onto the national stage again in the fall of 2020, when she starred in a nationally aired political advertisement endorsing Joe Biden for president (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIKHnHCqn1g).

Those left to cherish Pearl’s memory include her two sons: Alan of Los Angeles, CA, and Stephen of Milton, MA; her daughter-in-law Penny Knight of Milton, MA; her grandchildren, Jake and Madi of Boston, MA; her treasured great-granddaughter, Willa; her many beloved nieces and nephews, including, most recently, her one year-old great, great, great nephew, Theo; and her best friends of fifty plus years, Doris Brill of Roslyn, NY, and Ann Silvers of Hollywood, FL. In addition to her late husbands, Issie Wachman and Harry Champagne, she was preceded in death by her siblings: Oscar Cohen, Morris Cohen, Ruby Caine, Henry Caine, Mac Caine, and Sarah Lotter.

As the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants who fled violence and oppression, Pearl acutely understood the important role the United States plays for immigrants seeking a better life. As a country of immigrants, she felt that Americans have a moral obligation to continue the nation’s legacy of being a refuge for those who need it. She supported human rights efforts on the US-Mexico border and was also a fierce advocate for the labor movement. In her memory, please consider donating to ACLU-TX https://action.aclu.org/give/tribute-aclu-tx

or the National Domestic Workers Alliance https://secure.everyaction.com/ncLu4BogLEilhmk36wPyTw2?ms=Pearl-Wachman.

Arrangements under the direction of Stanetsky Memorial Chapels, www.stanetskycanton.com.