Sylvia F. Medalie of Brookline passed away peacefully at age 89 on November 14, 2019. Sylvia was born in May of 1930 in Boston to Maurice and Rose Fleishman. She attended Girl’s Latin School in Boston and Syracuse University where she majored in Communications and was crowned Miss Hudson. Upon graduation she moved back to Boston where she met and married Jerome Medalie. They raised three children, Cynthia, David and Seth while living in Newton for many years.
Sylvia had a lifelong passion for art and in 1968, with a partner, opened the first lithographic art gallery in Newtonville, the Berman Medalie Gallery. Years later, utilizing her impeccable sense of style, she was involved in creating the Corporate Image as a personal shopper for women in the business world at Filene’s. Later, her love of Judaism led her to study for and become a Bat Mitzvah and to work for Rabbi Chiel at Temple Emanuel in Newton.
Throughout her life Sylvia was an avid athlete. She played basketball at Girl’s Latin School, became a nationally ranked tennis player, and fell in love with the game of golf at age 70 with her partner of over two decades the late Donald Nalebuff. They enjoyed many wonderful days on the courses of Scottsdale, Sarasota and Plymouth with family and friends. But more than any of her accomplishments, she will be remembered by all as ‘Syl’, a warm, loving, generous and adventuresome mother, grandmother, sister and friend with a quick wit and radiant smile.
She leaves behind Cynthia Medalie of New York, David Medalie of Brookline, and Seth and his wife Leslie Medalie of Needham. She is survived by her grandchildren Ben, Daniel, Ryan and Caitlin and her great granddaughter Isabel. She also leaves behind her brothers Jack Fleishman and his wife Sandra and Ernest Fleishman and his wife Amy, as well as many adoring nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at The Chapel at Sharon Memorial Park, Dedham Street, Sharon, MA. Shiva will be at the home of Leslie and Seth Medalie from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 17th.
Donations in Sylvia’s memory can be made to MAZON: A Jewish Response To Hunger, PO Box 96119, Washington, DC 20090 (www.mazon.org) .
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