Estelle Halpern

Estelle (Engelman) Halpern, of the Brudnick Center/ Kaplan Estates in Peabody, Massachusetts, and formerly the Massry Residence in Albany, New York, died peacefully on Sunday, December 16, 2018. She would have been 98 years old on January 3rd. She was born in New York City and moved to Albany in 1950 where she lived for more than 50 years. When her husband, Joseph, passed away she was thirty-nine years old with a high-school diploma, and three young children. She was able to earn an Associate Degree from Russel Sage College Evening Division while working full time for the State of New York and raising three daughters all of whom she vowed would graduate from college. She was a Purchasing Agent for the State of New York from 1958 until her retirement in 1983. She reached this position by advancing through the Civil Service ranks and becoming one of the last individuals in New York State to achieve a high level position without possessing a Baccalaureate degree. On at least one occasion, she was ranked first in the State on the competitive Civil Service Exam for Agency positions as a Purchasing Agent. When she decided retirement was not for her, she became employed at the Resource Management Division of the Internal Revenue Service until 1990. She was always proud of her war service for the United States Navy at bases in South Florida during World War II while her husband served in the Intelligence Division of the United States Army. She was an accomplished Mahjong, Bridge and Canasta player. She was a voracious reader, able to tell you with amazing accuracy about the current political situation, and an excellent correspondent, frequently writing letters to her many friends and relatives. She had an extraordinary eye for picking the right present for the right person for the right occasion. She was a member of Congregation Beth Emeth in Albany, NY for more than 65 years and a Life Member of Hadassah.

She is survived by two daughters, 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren and loved by all of them. Her daughter Diane Rubtchinsky (Ira) has three children: Jodi (Douglas) Smith of Marblehead, MA and their two children - Sophia and Daniel; Stacy (Allen) Kamer of Ra’anana, Israel and their four children, Eliana, Maya, Nadav and Yoav; Jeffrey (Julie) Rubtchinsky of San Diego, CA and daughter Hannah. Her daughter Judith Halpern has two children: Zachary (Ali) Halpern of Marblehead, MA and their two children, Jared and Sadie; Alex Halpern Levy of New York, New York. Estelle was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Halpern and her daughter Susan Pfeffer, both of whom she cared for compassionately as they battled Huntington’s disease. Susan was the mother of Charise Pfeffer of Rhinebeck, New York. Estelle was the loving sister of the late Mary Harris, Nathan Engelman and Jack Engelman. Dear daughter of the late Sophie and Joseph Engelman.

She maintained continued contact with her far flung children, Grandchildren and Great-grandchildren, and she was looking forward to the anticipated birth of her tenth great-grandchild.

The funeral service for Mrs. Halpern will be held on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 9:00AM at Stanetsky-Hymanson Memorial Chapel, 10 Vinnin Street, Salem MA 01970. Interment will follow at the Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Queens, New York.

Shiva will be held at the home of Diane and Ira Rubtchinsky, Thursday, December 20th from 2-5pm and 6:30-8:30pm with Minyan at 7pm, Friday, December 21st from11-2pm, Saturday, December 22nd from7-9pm, and Sunday, December 23rd from 2-5pm.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, 505 Eighth Avenue Suite 902 New York, NY 10018: tel: 800-345-HDSA; 212-242-1968 (National Office); [email protected]