Theresa J. Adler 1930 - 2017

Theresa Janice Reinhard Jaffe Adler (“Terry”) lived her last day as she had lived most of them – confidently, enjoying life and helping others.She was born September 19, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY, the beloved only child of Edward Reinhard and Sarah (Chaimowitz) Reinhard.  After graduating New Utrecht High school, she met David Jaffe at City College in Manhattan where she obtained her teaching degree. They fell in love and were wed at Menorah Temple on March 9, 1952, and then left together for his army service in Panama for the next two years. It was the beginning of her lifelong love of travel.  After Dave’s tour they returned to Brooklyn where she taught elementary school. Dave worked as an accountant, going to law school at night. They had children, bought a business, and moved to the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Summers were spent at a bungalow colony in Highland Mills.Their lives were full of joy together, until, terribly, Dave became ill. His death on June 3, 1965 was devastating. Terry took over managing the business while raising three young children.Through mutual friends she met the dashing Lt. Col. George Adler. They married on June 10, 1966. He built up the business and they moved to New Rochelle, where she made new friends while remaining close with those from Brooklyn, college, Panama, Riverdale, and the bungalow colony.She was game for any adventure. She and George traveled extensively, by themselves and with friends. She took up golf at Bonnie Briar Country Club to share in George’s activity, and made more good friends. She was a wonderful hostess to friends and the extended families. She welcomed George’s children. Every event was a celebration – birthdays, graduations, the bicentennial, break-the-fast, New Year’s Day. The joy she felt being with friends and family was contagious.She met further struggles with great strength. After cancer surgery, she joined “Reach to Recovery” and visited other women who’d had mastectomies to show them that life could be good again.When George became ill, Terry was devoted to his well-being at home for the next several years, and when he died December 22, 2006, she mourned again.She picked herself up again and continued in a book club and in a movie group, played mah-jongg and bridge, and became co-president of her local Brandeis National Committee chapter. In 2016 she participated in two grandsons’ weddings and another’s bar mitzvah, dancing in heels and bestowing blessings. She had a zest for life, enjoying dancing, art, Broadway, food, and telling jokes. She loved to shop and had wonderful taste in clothes and furnishings. She watched Jacques Tati movies, Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones. She was funny and honest. Her friends were of all ages and different backgrounds. People, her children included, relied on her wise advice. Her actions were rooted in a great spirit of generosity and tolerance. She never spoke ill of anyone and she never betrayed a confidence. It was said “With Terry, you can’t do wrong.” She died unexpectedly on January 9, 2017 in Del Ray, Florida, leaving Hollie and John (Relethford), Laine and Ana (Ruiz-Carriedo), Monte and Lisa (Narva), Cherie and Gary Aviv, and Michelle Adler, and her adored grandchildren – Adam Aviv, David Relethford (Rachel Bedick), Ben Relethford, Noah Jaffe, Zane Relethford (Krissy Birthisel), Rebecca Jaffe, Katie Jaffe, Dana Jaffe, Evan Jaffe and Maya Jaffe, and myriad dear friends and dear cousins, with a legacy of love and a model of how to live.