Sylvia Cooper

Sylvia Goldie Cooper (née Ballenzweig), beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died on August 26, 2024, in Rego Park, NY, at the age of 91 surrounded by her loving family. Born on April 5, 1933, in the Bronx, NY, Sylvia was the oldest of four children and last surviving child of Betty (Appel) and Pincus Ballenzweig.

Family was the foundation of everything Sylvia believed in, and the “Family Circle” was a literal gathering of cousins, aunts, uncles and other family members that supported each other through the ups and downs of life. Sylvia lived by the core value that “Family is a Circle of Strength”.

Sylvia embraced being a mother, a grandmother and great-grandmother. Sylvia added a gold charm to her necklace every time a baby was born, and it included the charms for her 6 children, 13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She opened her heart and her home over the years to many people; it was not uncommon to have a dozen seated for dinner and living at the house.

Sylvia spent many years working long hours in the family-owned Shelly’s Bakery of Rego Park, starting when she was young and continuing as a mother juggling the demands of a full house of children. In between working and motherhood, Sylvia enjoyed games with friends and family; she was a keen poker player, a mahjong enthusiast and was adept at a myriad of other card and word games. She was an avid reader and a talented needlepoint artist, handcrafting meaningful gifts for special occasions.

Sylvia married the love of her life, Leon Cooper in 1973, and enjoyed 35 wonderful years of traveling and companionship until his passing in 2008. Sylvia was truly a loving matriarch and in turn would often remark how blessed she was to have such a devoted family.

Sylvia was predeceased by her parents Betty and Pincus Ballenzweig, her husband Leon Cooper, her sisters and their spouses, Rose and Don Kreiswirth, Pearl and Stan Robin, her brother Howard Ballenzweig, niece Rachel Ballenzweig, and nephew Mark Robin, and her first husband, Sanford Schenfeld.

She is survived by her children, Phyllis Campbell of Forest Hills, NY, Debra (and Gary) Palandro of Westbury, NY, Kenneth Schenfeld of Rego Park, NY, Harriet (and Bruce) Nuzie of Melville, NY, Paul (and Maureen) Schenfeld of Easton, CT, and Helaine (and Ari) Gendason of Stamford, CT; and grandchildren, Lori Campbell, Paula (and Dan) Rabe, Anthony (and Christine) Palandro, Ashley (and Alec) Wachtel, Adam (and Samantha) Nuzie, Ian (and Brooke) Nuzie, Erica Nuzie, Catherine and Patricia Schenfeld, Bailey, Skyler, Cooper and Peyton Gendason, and her great-grandchildren, Brianna Perez, Alexis and Tyler Rabe, Blake and Ella Nuzie, Alice and Millie Nuzie, and Jackson and Mackenzie Wachtel, her sister-in-law Susan Beckerman, and many nieces and nephews.

May her memory forever be a blessing.

Services at Schwartz Brothers-Jeffer Memorial Chapels located at 114-03 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills, NY, 11375 on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 10am. Burial services will follow at Beth-El Cemetery at 735 Forest Ave., Paramus, NJ 07652.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) Sylvia Cooper • OCRA Tribute Page (https://tribute.ocrahope.org/sylviacooper).