Tilly Freed Passman

Freed, Toni (Tilly), 107. Beloved wife of the late Seymour Freed and the late Peter Passman; loving mother of Arlene Semel and Michael Freed; treasured mother-in-law of Jean Freed and the late Charles Semel; cherished grandmother (Nonny) of Mitchell (Colleen) Semel, Andrew (Amy) Semel, Eric Freed, Laurie Bartell, David Semel, and Ellen (David) Weiss; and proud great-grandmother of Natalie, Olivia, Juliet, Erin, Isabel, Jacob, Hannah, Gabriel and Forrest. A style icon with impeccable taste and an indomitable spirit, Toni was friends to countless Chicagoans from the far South Side to the Chicago suburbs and beyond. She was known for her vivacious personality, vigor for life, physical stamina, and love of travel, and she had a following of fans far and wide. One of a small percentage to reach her age, Toni was born in 1913 in Pittsfield, MA. Having lived through 2 world wars, the Great Depression and several other defining events of the past century, Toni shared wonderful memories and offered a unique perspective in her conversations with family and friends. Among her favorite interests were politics, current events, fashion, golf, and the stock market. A resident of Chicago for over 95 years, Toni witnessed the city's growth and was a proud supporter of its cultural institutions. She served on the board of the Gastrointestinal Research Foundation for 20 years and volunteered at the now defunct Michael Reese Hospital and Esther Clamage Jewish Children's' Bureau. More than anything, Toni was the matriarch of her family whose stories and schnekens will be missed dearly by all who knew her. At the request of the family, in lieu of flowers, please send contributions to The American Friends of Hebrew University at https://www.afhu.org or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at https://www.stjude.org. Due to current Covid-19 restrictions, private services will be held. Friends are invited to view the service via Facebook Live at 11:00 a.m. on October 14 on the Weinstein & Piser Funeral Home Facebook page.