Sheila Polishook

Sheila S. Polishook, mother of Lewis Polishook, mother-in-law of Susan Sapiro, grandmother of Aliza and Bina Sapiro Polishook, passed away on June 27, 2026.

Born in Brooklyn, Sheila graduated from James Madison High School in 1952 and received history degrees from Brooklyn College (B.A. 1956) and Brown University (A.M. 1958). She married Irwin Polishook on December 29, 1957; they were married until his passing in 2019.

After teaching pre-school at the 92nd Street Y in New York City and history at Brooklyn College, she became a professor of history at Queensborough Community College (QCC) in 1964. She taught American and European History and created a course in the History of American Women. She also served as a labor designee for the Professional Staff Congress, the union representing faculty at the City University of New York, that her late husband co-founded. She represented union members in formal grievance proceedings concerning termination, non-reappointment, and other disciplinary actions. She also served as Chair of the QCC History Department until her retirement in 2000.

In retirement, she and Irwin traveled to many destinations around the world and then spent most weekends with their grandchildren. She also continued her life-long commitment to learning, intellectual discussion and being a student of current events and politics.

Although she would have welcomed donations to any worthy cause, please consider making donations to:

1. the Adult Education Fund at Temple Emeth in Teaneck, New Jersey (https://www.emeth.org/giving), her synagogue for over 60 years; or

2. the Belle Zeller Scholarship Fund (https://bellezeller.org/donate/), founded in memory of her late friend Belle Zeller, providing scholarships for deserving students at the City University of New York.

Funeral Services for Sheila will be held on Monday June 29, 2026 9:00AM at The Riverside Memorial Chapel 100 Saw Mill River Rd, Hawthorne, NY 10532. Following Services, Interment will be at the Wellwood Cemetery Farmingdale, New York. For any additional information, please contact the Chapel at 914-664-6800.