Mrs. Arlene Horowitz Cherney

COLUMBIA Arlene Horowitz Cherney passed away on Saturday, June 6, 2015. Arlene was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to the late Abraham and Pauline Rizinsky Horowitz. She married Jack Harold Cherney, her high school sweetheart and moved to South Carolina in the early 1950s. In addition to raising two daughters, Arlene became very active in South Carolina politics. Her first professional position was as the Assistant to the Director of the South Carolina Democratic Party in the early 1970s. She then worked for a succession of prominent elected officials including Sen. Heyward McDonald, Lt. Governor Brantley Harvey, Sen. Isadore Lourie, and Attorney General Travis Medlock. Her crowning achievement in the political arena was working as the Assistant to the Executive Director of 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, Ga. Once she retired from politics, she embraced her new role as “Mema” to four grandchildren as well as improving her Mah Jong game. She was a member of Beth Shalom Synagogue. Arlene is survived by two daughters, Shelli Charles (Tom) of Anderson, S.C. and Brenda Zuckerman (Steve) of Atlanta, Ga.; four grandchildren, David Charles (Alison) of Columbia, Sarah Charles (Noah) of Washington, D.C., Adam Zuckerman of Atlanta, Ga., and Eric Zuckerman of San Francisco, Calif; as well as four great-grandchildren and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, Jack; her parents; her sisters, Nettie Deixler and Sylvia Kramer; and her brother, Sydney David Leader. A graveside service is set for 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 8, 2015, at the Beth Shalom, Arcadia Lakes Cemetery on Arcadia Lake Road. Rabbi Jonathon Case will officiate. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Mount Richmond Cemetery, 224 West 35th Street Room 300, New York, NY 10001 or to the Beth Shalom Synagogue, 5827 N. Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC 29206. The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to Elizabeth King for her friendship and love for our Mother and Father over the course of many years. The family cannot adequately thank Sharon Payne and the staff of Ameri-Care for their extraordinary support and care over the last several years.