Cecile Sobel Coonin was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She went to Brooklyn College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in early Childhood and Elementary education and then went on to earn a Master’s in Special Ed from Syracuse University. She met her husband, Albert Coonin on a blind date while visiting her cousin in Miami. Ceil and Albert had the happiest of marriages for 33 years.
Ceil and Al had two children, Johanna and Arnie. Once Arnie started school, Ceil went back to work and became a teacher at Beth Am Day School. She taught in the classroom for 10 years and then became principal of the Day school for the next 20. She was respected by the staff and parents and loved by the children.
While she retired from Beth Am in 2000 she did not just sit back and relax. She immediately went back to work as a supervisor for student teachers at Barry University and most recently Florida International University where she was working right up to the last few weeks.
In between all this working she had many interests and hobbies. She participated in 2 book clubs, loved being in a book store, loved playing the piano (something that she had done since she was a little girl). She went to concerts, the opera, met her friends for lunch, dinner and movies. She loved knitting, especially for her kids and grandkids. She loved traveling to different cities and countries with her friends and also traveling to visit friends and family. She loved being a grandmother to Avery and Calla. She loved her house and filled it with love. She was a terrific hostess, eager to entertain generously in her house, and always preparing enough food for 20 persons when only 4 were expected. She believed in joy through giving and through giving food.
Ceil was a wonderful example of how to be a good wife, mother, grandmother, friend, teacher, neighbor.
Cecile left a note for her children with a quote from Ann Patchett that they wish to share with everyone:
“The quality of a life is defined not by its length, but by its depth, its actions and achievements. It is defined by our ability to love.”
Ceil certainly had a life full of actions and wonderful achievements and her ability to love was boundless.
Ceil is survived by her daughter, Johanna and son-in-law, Dan (Hawtof); son, Arnold Victor and daughter-in-law, Anna; and grandchildren, Calla and Avery.
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