Shirley Plaat

Shirley Plaat passed away in New York City on June 1, 2018, at age 93, a few weeks shy of what would have been her 94th birthday on July 9th. She was born in 1924, the youngest daughter to Louis Kirshenbaum and Tilly Lampert.

She is predeceased by her husband and childhood sweetheart Julius Alfred Plaat. They were married until Julius death in 2004. She is also, predeceased by her siblings: Trudy Lipton, Murray Kirshenbaum and Barney Kirshenbaum.

Shirley is survived by her children: Tina Ponzo and Mark Plaat and his spouse Nancy; her grandsons: Andrew Ponzo and his spouse Hilary Nammack, Jeffrey Ponzo and his spouse Robin Mates, Louis Plaat and his spouse Holly Proper-Plaat, and Daniel Plaat; her great grandchildren: Adelaide, Ellanora, and Seraphina Plaat, Wesley Ponzo and Amelia Ponzo; and her brother-in-law Lenny Vogel. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Shirley was a devoted wife and mother who worked as a bookkeeper and office manager for numerous companies in New York and Westchester County. Eventually retiring at the age of 70, she fulfilled a life-long dream of attending college and graduated from Westchester Community College with an Associate Degree. She was a fan of Broadway and opera and passed along her love of music to her children. She loved to travel having been to Europe, Hawaii, Australia and the American West. Her last trip was to see the Taj Mahal at the age of 86.

Her final resting place is located in Sharon Gardens, Valhalla, NY next to her beloved husband Julius.