Beatrice Swidler

died October 5, 2016, at the age of 98 years. The child of Russian Jewish immigrants Morris and Rebecca Asinofsky, Bea grew up in the Yorkville section of Manhattan in a close loving family with her parents, her brother Sidney and sisters Bluma and Anita. Bea graduated from Julia Richmond High School and Hunter College in Manhattan, and during WWII was active in the USO. After the war, she married S. Zachary Swidler, who was a devoted husband to her until his death in 1990.

Bea lived to enjoy and be loved by a large family, including her son Steven A. Swidler, his wife Carol and grandchildren Alison and Brant; her son Sanford (Sandy) Swidler, M.D., his wife Susan and grandchildren Pamela, Alexandra, Tony and Craig; and her son Robert N. Swidler, his wife Kim and grandchildren Eric, Sarah and Alex.

Bea loved New York City, America, Jewish culture, travel, and hot soup. Above all she loved her family, and was delighted to go to family gatherings such as the Rosh Hashanah dinner she attended three days before she passed away.

Born in 1918, before women had the right to vote, Bea had been looking forward to voting for the first woman president and watching her be sworn in. She will be smiling when that happens.