Obituary of Beatrice Walfish

Beatrice Walfish (née Kaplan) died peacefully December 4th at her home in New Rochelle, N.Y. after a brief illness. She was 95. Mrs. Walfish was born on June 28th, 1922 in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. to Max Kaplan and Bertha Wendroff. She graduated from Barnard College (B.A. Government), received a Master’s Degree in Education from Columbia Teachers College and then married Dr. Abraham Walfish in 1943. After Dr. Walfish completed his military service in 1946, they moved to New Rochelle, N.Y. and then Eastchester, N.Y. before returning in 1974 to New Rochelle. He worked in private practice in Westchester as an optometrist before retiring in 1993. Mrs. Walfish was a career woman who worked at various times in the Justice Department, as a newspaper reporter, as a children’s book editor, and as an editor for a non-profit foundation devoted to quality of work life. She was happiest when reading, writing, or spending time with her family.
She is survived by her husband Abraham, her daughter Beth Levine, her son and daughter-in-law Joel and Lyn Walfish, her son and daughter-in-law Andrew Wallach and Peggy Yannas, and five grandsons. She will be buried at King David/Rose Hill Cemetery in Putnam Valley, New York at 1 p.m. Thursday. Visitors are welcome at the home of Dr. Walfish from 1-3 pm on Friday and from 1-5 pm or 7-9 pm on Sunday through Tuesday.