Ruth Blumenfeld, who lived in Port Washington for more than 40 years, died peacefully on Dec. 31 in Florida. Her son Noah was by her side.
For the last 22 years, she was married to Myron Blumenfeld, the former chairman of the Long Island State Park Commission, whom she knew for years as a member of The Community Synagogue. Both widowed, it was the second marriage for each. Ruth Blumenfeld is survived by two sons from her first marriage and two stepdaughters from her marriage to Myron Blumenfeld, and a total of six grandchildren.
Ruth Blumenfeld worked for many years as an executive secretary, including at a wholesale drug company in Port Washington. She was also a life member of Hadassah, a volunteer organization of women dedicated to strengthening the unity of Jewish people.
She passionately loved her children and grandchildren, as well as all children, said Myron Blumenfeld, recalling the hours they spent together at , the park named in their honor, and also at the Children's Room at the .
"She said, 'How come the children of Port Washington are all so beautiful?'" Myron Blumenfeld noted. "And I said, 'It's in the eye of the beholder.'"
Ruth Blumenfeld also loved travel. Together she and Myron Blumenfeld visited Kenya, Tibet, Europe, China, Japan and Israel. In Israel, they spent several months teaching English as a Second Language through a Hadassah school to Sabras as well as Russian and Ethiopian immigrants.
And while she loved Paris and London, Africa – Morocco, Marrakesh and East Africa – provided the greatest adventure, along with the thrill to be part of a wildebeest migration.
"When we married, I thought we'd have 10 wonderful years together," Myron Blumenfeld said, noting that he was 57 at the time. "It turned out to be [more than] 20."
For those wishing to make a donation in Ruth's memory, one idea is to
support the new Children's Room planned for the Port Washington Library by the Library Foundation at 1 Library Drive, Port Washington, NY, 11050.
