of Peabody, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2019 at the age of 80, after a brief illness. Born Vita Janice Rothstein to Sadie (Lipsitz) Rothstein and Louis Rothstein, she graduated from Chelsea (MA) High School in 1956.
Vita was a favorite sister, devoted wife, adorable mother, auntie, best cousin, other mother, surrogate aunt, bonus grandma and partner, as well as a cherished friend to many. This probably includes you, Dear Reader. She remained extremely close with many childhood friends from “the old country” (Chelsea), her career and her community until her death.
Vita was a trained secretary who worked on Madison Avenue in New York in the early 1960s (she said it was nothing like “Mad Men,” but photos tell a different story), then took many years off to raise her two children. In 1977, she returned to work, first in the office at Temple Ner Tamid, and later, in 1984, as Executive Assistant to the Manager (not a job title from “The Office”) at Peabody Municipal Light Plant, retiring in 1992.
She lived in Peabody for nearly 45 years, in the only home she ever owned—a “Tiny House” long before that became a Millennial trend. And because of her days at the Temple and the Light Plant, she seemingly knew someone wherever she went.
Vita loved to sit outside in the sun on her deck reading a juicy novel or go for a walk around Lake Quanapowitt in Wakefield with her girlfriends. She always enjoyed the company of her expansive and far-flung network of family, or any party—as long as it wasn’t in her honor.
Vita was predeceased by her beautiful daughter Deborah, and her lovingly facetious husband Warren. She leaves her son Ross, daughter Joy and beloved grand-dog Hoover, of Oak Park, IL, and her devoted partner of the past four and half years, Kenny Coburn of Peabody. In addition, she leaves her brothers and sisters Irving and Rosemary Rothstein of San Francisco, Herb and Elaine Rothstein of Peabody and Alvin and Janet Freedman of Silver Springs, MD. Vita also leaves more extended family members than our word count allows for, as well as many people she considered family.
Services will be held on June 5 at 11:00 a.m. at Temple Ner Tamid in Peabody, with interment to follow at the Jewish Community Center of Chelsea Cemetery in Danvers. The condolence meal will occur following interment on Wednesday evening at the Club House at Huntington Wood in Peabody until 8:00 pm with minyan at 7.
The family would like to thank the Emergency, Neurology, MICU, Palliative Care and Counseling teams at Lahey Hospital Medical Center in Peabody and Burlington, as well as everyone at Care Dimensions/Kaplan Family Hospice House, Danvers, for their abundant kindness, generosity and caring.
Vita gave regularly to approximately 50 charities; if you feel so inclined, please a make a donation in her memory to the charity of your choice.
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