Charlotte Fleishman

(May 2, 1925- December 7, 2020)

Born in Baltimore, Charlotte Jane Cohen (Bat Benyamin and Bassa Devorah Cohain) was the youngest of four children in the family of Benjamin and Bessie Cohen.

Shana, as she was always known, loved dearly her parents and her older brothers Bernard and Leonard, and older sister Miriam. In return, they doted on the baby of the family. Mom told stories about Bernie carrying her around the neighborhood on his shoulders.

She remembered how they knew everyone in the hood, and would visit them frequently, checking in with cousins and other relatives nearby. She recounted how, as a child when she was already very adventurous, she climbed in a baby carriage and steered herself toward the house on Glen Avenue. Her big mistake: getting too close to the steps. After the carriage hit the bottom, she had to have front teeth removed, leading her to become one of the first kids to get braces later on in life.

A child of the Depression, she learned about tough times early. But Ben, a clothing salesman, and Bessie kept it together. Sometimes other cousins joined them in the house when they lost parents.

During World War II, Bernie and Leonard served in the Navy. Bernie kept a scrapbook onboard ship, with family photos sent to him often, including times when those at home dressed up, to try to make the best of their days of rationing. Shana worked in a shipyard plant, holding sheets of material steady as another woman drove in the rivets. They were inspired by Rosie the Riveter. Before Charlotte met Irvin Fleishman, from Fayetteville, N.C., he enlisted and served in the Army for four years.

In May 1946, Irv met Shana on a blind date to a bar mitzvah party and he was swept away, proposing that night. She agreed, but insisted on waiting until Sept. 15, 1946.

Their marriage lasted almost 50 years, till Irv died on April 11, 1996. They were sorely tested by the tragic loss of their oldest son, Bennett Paul, in 1961, and by the vicissitudes of daily life, but they were devoted to each other and their family for the duration of her life. Her children—Robbie Milberg, Sandy, Steven, Sheila Fike and Evan will miss her greatly.

Shana was the sister-in-Law of Edith Cohen, Leonard Freed, Herbert and Marilyn Fleishman, and Malcolm and Ellie Fleishman. She was the daughter-in-law of S.M. and Hannah Fleishman and the mother-in-Law of Ron Milberg, Dennis Fike and Jantany Fleishman.

Her grandchildren are: Debra (Milberg) and Ben Danisek, Jeff and Nikki Milberg, Jordan Fike and fiancé Taelor Johnson, Brian Fike, and Jamie Fleishman. Her great-grandchildren are: Alex and Hannah Danisek; and Ryland and Jameson Milberg.

She is also survived by nieces and nephews and many cousins.

Shana was a determined person--president of her school Jewish sorority, a graduate of Forest Park High School, a high school athlete in basketball—and a brave person—moving to a small town in North Carolina upon her marriage and starting new relationships with her husband’s close-knit family. She was brave again, when they relocated to Baltimore in 1966, after a recession that hit Fayetteville hard.

She was also an entrepreneur—starting a record company with a cousin at one point, working for her brother Leonard in his framing business when he moved to Fayetteville, opening her own framing business in Randallstown--with a mobile van that she designed and outfitted--and then teaming with Irv as a manufacturer’s rep after his heart condition worsened.

And she showed great commitment to her religion—working alongside the other devoted women at Beth Israel Congregation in Fayetteville on onegs and special events; serving as sisterhood president; and being involved in the opening of the second building. In her 90s, she took Hebrew lessons so she could learn the sounds of the letters. She was a lifetime member of Hadassah.

Two other important aspects of her life: her passion for golf and bowling, and for staying in touch with the many friends who joined her in those competitions; and her attention to keeping her appearance at its best, never leaving her home without the right necklace, scarf or matching outfit and shoes. Her sports extended her life for many years, and she loved when people complimented her on how young she looked.

Shana was buried on Thursday, Dec. 10, at Judean Gardens in Olney, next to her beloved Irv. We will remember her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to:

--Temple Emanuel, 10101 Connecticut Ave., Kensington, MD 20895. https://templeemanuelmd.org/ ; There is a donate button online.

--The Beth Israel Cemetery Fund, Beth Israel Congregation, 2204 Morganton Road, Fayetteville, NC 28303 or http://bethi.org/

-- Temple Beth Torah, PO Box 2020, Centreville, VA 20122