Minnie Popkin

It is with great sadness I share that my mom has passed on into the realm of the afterlife. While her physical journey may have ended, she will now flourish within the peace, love and light of the afterlife.

Minnie Popkin, 92, passed away on Friday April 24, 2026 at her residence. Born in Brooklyn, NY she resided in Flushing, NY, Palm Springs, CA and Flanders, NY in the Hamptons, before moving to Freehold, NJ.

Minnie was a homemaker and market researcher in Queens, NY.

The daughter of immigrant parents who fled the holocaust and spoke broken English, mom grew up in Brooklyn during the great depression. She remembered how her family barely made ends meet, and had to wait in bread lines as a little girl. She babysat at age 11, so she can have the money to rent a bicycle in order to teach herself how to ride. She worked in a toy factory at age 13, so she can buy sweaters and comic books, which she loved to collect.

Mom was an avid swimmer and was a member of the high school swim team, specializing in the relay competition. She often enjoyed long swims in the ocean at Coney Island beach in Brooklyn. Mom also enjoyed playing tennis.

While attending Brooklyn College at night, mom interviewed for an Administrative Assistant position to the President of the carpenters union. She was so proud when she learned she was hired for such an important position, not long after graduating high school! She would sometimes bring her baby sister to work, proudly showing her the nature of her position, working for such an important man.

Mom married my dad at a young age and had 3 boys by the time she was 29. Getting divorced at age 31 and managing to raise 3 boys with little to no help was no easy task. She worked multiple jobs and made sure her boys were well taken care of.

We were always very proud of mom’s passion for civil rights. She marched in Albany at the height of the Civil Rights movement in the mid to late 60’s. This remained as a very strong cause she was passionate about her entire life - bringing us all great pride while teaching us valuable life lessons.

Mom hit the jackpot when Norman came along and married this stunning single mom with 3 little boys. Norman may have had his challenges in the beginning, but he turned out to be a wonderful provider and a caring and loving man!

Over the years mom and Norman would travel the world. From China, to Africa, to Israel and Egypt, throughout the Caribbean and Europe, to flying the Concorde to London and sailing back on the QE 2.

Mom was quite beautiful- winning a beauty contest one summer in the Catskill Mountains. She was a very stylish woman. She always wore beautifully coordinated outfits which had to include one of her signature pocket books and almost always one of her many brooches. She had a massive collection of pocket books. And a good number of shoes.

Mom was an avid collector too - proud of her exquisite Lladro pieces from around the world, and elaborate assortment of elephant sculptures in all shapes, sizes, and materials. She loved elephants, her favorite animal!

Later in life mom gravitated to Market research projects, which she loved with a passion!

Mom greatly enjoyed playing her games! She was quite avid at mahjong, canasta, bridge, poker and scrabble. She had regularly scheduled games every week. I remember as a little boy when she hosted her games, my brothers and I would sometimes hide under the table where she was playing with her friends. Mom always seemed to be the big winner at these games. Mom was particularly fond of a card game called Spite and Malice. She often played with me and my brothers and managed to beat us 9 times out of 10. She played this game with us up until the end.

Mom and Norman loved spending the winters in Palm Springs, California. Mom particularly loved having her grandson Jake, who lives in LA, visit her frequently and spend long weekends. Jake very much looked forward to his visits with grandma and grandpa Norman.

Not long after Norman passed away, mom felt it was too much to travel alone to Palm Springs. She then decided to spend the winters in Deerfield Beach, Florida, until it became too much for her. She enjoyed her time in Florida a great deal!

When it became too much for mom to manage her home in Marlboro, NJ, she moved into a wonderful senior community in Freehold, NJ where she remained until she passed.

The last 2 years of mom’s life were a bit of a struggle as she slowly declined. She managed to keep all her faculties and dealt with it graciously. She never complained and refused to let her sons know if she was in pain or discomfort. She didn’t want us to feel sad in any way. Mom was blessed to have home health aides who were complete angels! They cared for her as if she was their own mother. She formed wonderful bonds with these aides. In particular she formed an unusually strong bond with Cynthia, who was with mom over the last year of her life. Cynthia was a rare breed indeed! She adored mom! She always helped mom look so beautiful. From doing her hair to picking out lovely outfits for mom to wear. Mom always looked so pretty when we visited. We credit Cyntia for making mom as comfortable as can be during her last year of life. We can’t thank you enough Cynthia!!

Rest in peace mom! You will forever be in my heart! I already miss you immensely! Love you to the moon!

Minnie traveled the world. From Africa to China, from Israel and Egypt to the Caribbean. She even flew in the suspersinice concorde to London and sailed back to New York on the Q queen Elizabeth 2. Minnie lived a fulfilling life and had many friends. She was loved and adored by her family she will be greatly missed.

Minnie was preceded in death by her husband, Norman Popkin, and her step-daughter, Pamela.

"She was a dedicated Mother, Wife, Sister, Grandmother, Great- Grandmother & Aunt"

Surviving is her sons, Clifford Greenhouse (Maria), Glenn Greenhouse (Yulia), and Keith Greenhouse; her sister, Florrie Fisher-Watkins (Marty); her grandchildren, Jason Greenhouse, Eric Greenhouse, Kirk Greenhouse, Heather Greenhouse, Jake Greenhouse, Sophia Greenhouse-Weiss, Jack Greenhouse, and Charles Greenhouse, Anastasiya Zolotova-Drenald; and her great-grandchildren, Walker Greenhouse and Madeleine Greenhouse-Weiss.

Graveside Services will be held on Monday April 27, 2026 at 11:00 am at United Hebrew Cemetery, 122 Arthur Kill Rd, New York, NY 10306.”

Shiva will be held at Cliff & Maria Greenhouse Home, 379 Wilson Ave, Fort Lee, NJ on Monday & Tuesday 4-9pm, at Glenn & Yulia Greenhouse home, 65 24 162 St., Fresh Meadows, NY, for 7 days Monday through Sunday after 1pm please call before arriving 201-724-6090 at Keith Greenhouse 100 Manhattan Ave., Apt. 2306, Union City, NJ. 07087 on Monday and Tuesday evening from 6 PM to 9 PM. and at Florrie Fisher-Watkins, 213 Fox Hollow Dr, Langhorne, PA 19053.