Roberta Nassau

Roberta Nassau passed away on March 30, 2024, just before her 83rd birthday. Her passing was a result of complications from pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Michael Nassau, their children Stephanie Brinker (Jeff) and Will Nassau (Chloe), and their grandchildren Alexis, Charlotte, Neely and Eli.

Roberta attended NYU, and attained two masters’ degrees, one in education and one in guidance counseling. She was an extraordinary math teacher (Seward Park High School, Jamaica High School) covering subjects from basic algebra and geometry to advanced calculus. Her dedication to her students was unparalleled, and it was customary for her to devote free time to her work, as well as to tutor neighborhood children. On maternity leave with Will, Roberta even taught Algebra to children in Stephanie’s 5th grade class, many of whom wrote in Stephanie’s high school yearbook that Roberta was being the best math teacher they ever had.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Roberta was attached at the hip to sister and best friend Evelyn Abeles (Mark). These ladies did everything together, from working out and ice-skating, to cross country skiing and, of course, getting their hair colored. The only thing better than this duo was the foursome that included their husbands. Mark was more like a brother than a brother-in-law and her love for them both, as well as their daughters Wendy and Debbie, was what made Roberta choose Great Neck as her home.

As a wife and homemaker, Roberta excelled. Always the extraordinary hostess, her soups and pasta salad were legendary. She was organized, handy, and had a practical genius that fit perfectly with Michael’s intellectualism and (endearing) absentmindedness.

As a mother, and mother-in-law there was no one like Roberta. She was strong but soft and always put her children first - not just when they were little but also as adults. She was the kind of mother that gave her children the space and freedom to chart their own path, while always being there for them. She believed in never overstepping, and she prided herself on raising children who are independent, with wonderful families of their own: of the utmost importance to her was that her children have happy marriages, and Roberta felt blessed when they chose Jeff and Chloe as life partners. Roberta loved them both immensely.

She also had a loving and close relationship with Susan, her sister-in-law, and greatly enjoyed their visits and travel together – especially their most recent Charleston trip. Susan’s daughter, Lesley, was an adoring niece whom Roberta loved, and whose move to New York made her extraordinarily happy.

Roberta was called “Bobbi” by her four grandkids. Not one to find joy in pushing kids on the swings (she called parks boring), Bobbi instead took her grandchildren to shows, museums and would get down and dirty with them – like when she colored her body with washable markers.

Roberta lived life to the fullest. She had an array of friends and many, many interests. She took up jewelry making during her a childcare leave and continued to do that year after year, making pieces of immeasurable beauty. She was also a spectacular knitter, and when she retired in 2002, she started playing golf and bridge, taking pleasure in both without needing to attain any specific level of “success”.

With Michael, Roberta embraced the plethora of cultural activities New York City has to offer. The two had opera and ballet subscriptions, they saw almost everything there was to see on Broadway and frequented many of the city’s finest restaurants where Roberta always ordered dessert.

Since Michael, as a lawyer, had annual four-week vacation time alongside Roberta's school vacations, they enjoyed decades of diverse international travel, first focusing on Europe, and then - following that - years of travel to Asia. As grandparents they continued to travel, this time with Stephanie & Will and their families. Roberta took great joy in being together and especially swimming with the kids.

Roberta will be missed but her spirit can be found in her granddaughter Alexis’s mathematical mind, Charlotte’s fashion sense (& love of manicures), Neely’s zest for life, and Eli’s tenderness. She is remembered as vibrant and energetic.

Her family takes a measure of comfort that her last weeks were spent seeing family and being active and out in the world: including visiting MOMA and lunching at The Modern with Stephanie, taking Neely to see Aladdin on Broadway, and living her life as she always did: a doer.