My Sister Wendy
by Rhonda Warren

First, I want to personally thank Wendy's dear and caring friends who have sustained me over the past several days.   It has been my great pleasure getting to know each of you.  Wendy, thank you for this gift.
 
Most of you know and love Wendy her from the life you have shared with her since she moved to Jacksonville.   So, I thought you might enjoy some brief tales from our girlhood.
 
At first, I admit, I thought she was just an enormous pest.  She always wanted me to play with her.  I called her the shrimp.  In our shared bedroom, our beds sat catty corner.  At night we had a ritual, one of us would whisper, Do you want to do edge bed talk? and we'd flip ourselves so we were head to head and talk and giggle until one of our parents would come in and break up the party.
 
One summer, when Wendy was about 11, she went off to sleep away camp.  When she returned, only a few weeks later, she'd had a growth spurt which made her not only physically almost as tall as me, but emotionally, we were now equals. Our strengths, interests and dreams for ourselves differed, but we had become each other's support, cheering squad and best friend.
 
We are in our late teens, and it is a Friday night, in maybe, 1969.   I am sorta bookish, Wendy is super friendly and very cute. We are hanging out together at the bar of the then trendy Maxwell's Plum on the Upper East Side. Some classy looking hunk is having an animated discussion with Wendy about tennis. I listen in.  She is raving about her much her serve has improved ever since her instructor started providing video playback.  I, do not even know at that time, what video is.   But I what I do know is, Wendy, does not play tennis.  But most importantly, what I know is this:  whoever she's with, whatever the situation, Wendy, is always, always, totally on top of her game.   Go Wendy!
 
It is the summer of 1974, and in August Wendy will be marrying Barry, and moving away to Cleveland.
In light of this, the two of us decide that in July we will take a vacation together, a first.   We are going to Nantucket, in Cape Cod.   As far as I can tell, we may be the only Brooklynites who have even heard of Nantucket.   We take the bus out of Port Authority, ride almost all day and then embark on a memorably storm tossed ferry ride to Nantucket Island.  It had never occurred to me to make, reservations. The Visitor Information shack has a sign posted:   No Accommodations - Island Completely Booked. 

Somehow, we find a B&B which happens to have sitting on the floor of its attic, an ancient mattress, and we book it for the week.   The B&B is full of 20 something New England preppies and at night we all hang out on rocking chairs on the porch having an incredible fun together. Wendy and I, are rare birds in this crowd, two funny, giggly sisters from Brooklyn.  They nickname us the Pigeon Sisters after the two ditzy sisters in the then current movie, The Odd Couple.  We are having the time of our lives.

We return to Brooklyn, but Wendy, has had a life transforming experience.   She has journeyed to the holy land of New England and is reborn.   Going forward all of her clothes are pink, baby blue, lime and yellow.  She has discovered that there is a life outside of Brooklyn, and she, intends to live it.
 
Wendy, every moment I have spent with you has been a wonderful journey and a joy.   We've shared our dreams, challenges, fears, hopes, disappointments, and proud moments. We've had a hell of a great time together.   I am so lucky, and fortunate and grateful and privileged to have had you as my sister.   You are forever in my heart, and I will be traveling with you all the days of my life.

Eulogy for Wendy Efron
by Mitch Lemus  May 17, 2016

I'd like to start off by sharing  a quote by one of Wendy's favorite fashion designers.  -- Coco Chanel

"Before you leave the house, look in the mirror, and remove one accessory." 
                 
I think we all know how much my sister loved fashion.  And she always adhered to Madame Chanel's advice. 

Before she left the house, she'd take a look in her mirror, and may have removed a pair of earrings.  Or she may have removed a necklace or a scarf.  But one thing she never removed, was the effortless love she provided to all those who crossed her path. 

In a way, the love she shared with her family, friends, and the countless organizations she worked for, was Wendy's signature style.  And like haute couture, whoever Wendy encountered, received a one-of-a-kind accessory -- my sister's love. 

Her love was effortless, timeless, and went with everyone's outfit.  If you are sitting here today, you are wearing  and you were touched  by a one-of-a-kind "Made by Wendy" original.

Wendy's calling for style, fashion and taste started early. As a student at Lincoln HS in Brooklyn, NY, Wendy applied for the A&S Fashion Board, a special program that matched aspiring fashionistas with professional designers. The program only accepted one student from each HS in the city.  In order to be considered, students had to submit an essay, along with sketches of their fashion designs. 

While Wendy had great  ideas, she also had a little problem  she could not draw. Enter Rhonda, who picked up a pencil on Wendy's behalf and brought her sister's design concepts to life.  It was enough to get Wendy selected, and sent on a week-long trip to Paris's top fashion houses.  A&S never knew the better, and Rhonda, for her sketching assistance, was thanked with a bottle of French perfume.  Me  I got a Peugeot Matchbox car  just for being her little brother.

Fast-forward 8 years to Wendy's arrival in Jacksonville, where her keen sense of style and taste continued on through a series of part time jobs and endeavors, such as -- operating a stained glass business with her friend Blanche ... dressing up the women of Jacksonville at Talbots ... and helping interior decorators choose wallpapers, fabrics, and window treatments for homes. 

But one of the biggest parts of Wendy's style, was giving back to the community.  She held leadership roles in charitable and social organizations such as ORT, River Garden, Temple Sisterhood, Jacksonville Jewish Federation, and the Foster Care Review Board.

Above all, what Wendy loved more than anything, was serving for the past 20 years as the buyer for this temple's Judaica gift shop. Each February and August, Wendy and Barry would fly to the Gift Show in New York City where she would purchase Judaica items she knew the congregation would love.

My sister Rhonda and I also loved these NYC excursions, because it gave us the opportunity twice each year, to hang out with Wendy and Barry, and join them on their epic epicurean adventures at some of the city's finest restaurants. 

Wendy kept her sense of taste, style and humor right through to the very end.  A few weeks ago when a frazzled Rhonda rushed from New York to be by her sister's side, Wendy proclaimed  "Oy, Rhonda, you can't show up to my funeral looking like that."  -- And promptly directed Rhonda to get her hair and makeup done at Wendy's favorite Jacksonville salon.

Let's not forget how a Wendy original creation blossomed into her signature brand.  Early on in her life, Wendy received a coveted internship at an exclusive design house -- The House of Lemus. 

My father Joe, my mother Shirley, and my aunt Bebe were her mentors -- who taught her how to "design" a virtuous life.

They taught her how important it was to reach out to others, and to give back. 

They taught her the "design patterns" to be a loving wife, a caring friend, a proud mother, an amazing sister, and to become the quintessential doting grandmother.  
 
They taught her to smile through the bad times, and to be courageous even when it felt nearly impossible. This was evident through these last difficult weeks. But through it all,  Wendy maintained her style and grace.   

Today,  Wendy would want everyone here to know how stylish YOU all look.  She hopes that you all took one last glance the mirror this morning, paused, and removed one item from your outfit. 

However, she knows that none of you removed the most important accessory you have on today -- Wendy's love. 
 
###

Dr. Efron, You and your family are in my prayers. E. Judy Sanner, Orange Park, Fl

Dr. Efron,
I am taken aback to hear that Wendy has passed.  She was such a lovely lady with class and integrity...
a blessing to everyone who knew her.
My deepest sympathy goes out to you and your family.

Dear Barry, 
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

My prayers and condolences to the Efron family on the passing of a beautiful lovely lady that will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

OBITUARY

Wendy Meryl Efron

November 2, 1953 – May 14, 2016

Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel & Oaklawn Cemetery

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services