We’re here today to mourn the passing but also to honor the life of Annette Greenhouse, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and cherished friend. Annette has suffered and she was ready to go. It was enough, and she knew that this was her time. She laughed just before she died, bantering with a wonderful nurse. And yet, even though we are content that she always had the loyalty and attention of her family and the best of care, we are still very sad that she has passed on. Today, we are not going to focus on her death but on her life, because she had a wonderful life.

She was born on April 23 1926 and was raised by her parents Michael and Sonia and grew up with her brother Robert and sister Sybil, whom we mourn today. Her father died when she was 12. She was very devoted to her mother Sonia and her aunts.
She graduated Weaver High School and then went on to Hartford Art School, what is now Atheneum. She would always be a great artist. She always had a great sense of style. She had a wonderful visual aesthetic. So she gave very fashionable presents. She painted and did needlepoint. There are portraits in needlepoint of Lorrie and Molly.

She met Milt on a blind date. It was love at first sight
She was 21 and Milt was 25 when they got married.
They were married for 70 years.
How does Milt describe his wife? “She was the greatest.” They had one long, wonderful love affair.
He says that she was beautiful, inside and out. He said: “She was beautiful here and here.”
He says that she was a wonderful companion, that she was very smart, very intelligent.
I asked Milton if they ever fought, and he could not remember ever fighting, but he said, quite charmingly, “If we ever had a fight, she was the winner.”
He taught her how to sail; they sailed all over.
They traveled to England, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Greece and the Grand Canyon. Milt says: “If we decided to go someplace, we went.
She knew what she wanted to do and where she wanted to go.”
They had a wonderful, fantastic marriage. They were so close they were even in the emergency room together.

Annette was a wonderful mother to Lorrie and Matthew, unconditionally loving. She was a very devoted mother. She gave up her career for her family. She did have some recommendations that she was happy to give.

She was wonderful to Peter and was very happy with Shelly. She remembered Matt and Shelly’s anniversary in the hospital and insisted on sending them a card. She loved her grandchildren William, Molly and Benjamin completely, and equally.
She was very proud of Molly and Benjamin.
She had William every Tuesday for dinner.
She and Milt never missed any event, even driving to Maine and Pittsburgh for events.

She was very devoted to her friends. Milt’s childhood friends became her friends. But many have passed on.

She was a great reader. There were three big books in her room at the end of her life. She wanted the Kindle in the hospital; her love of reading trumped her antipathy to technology.

She was very concerned with current events.
She read the Times and the Register and constantly watched the news on tv. She was very liberal.

She loved art museums. She went to plays here at Long Wharf and in New York.
She and Milt were regular moviegoers.
Earlier on, they would host dinner parties.
Family was very, very important to her. Her nephews and nieces always remained close. There was a cousins club. She hosted the Seders and Rosh Hashanah meals. It was a close family; she was close with Milt’s parents.

To Milton and Lorrie and Matthew and the whole family, we wish you G-d’s comfort at this sad time. She was a righteous person. May she rest in peace. Let us say Amen.