We’re here today to mourn the passing but also to honor the life of Estelle Goldberg, beloved mother and grandmother and cherished friend.
In a certain way, just like this wonderful person who never complained, we should have complaints about anything. She lived for over a hundred years, she had a good life, and she gave and received a lot of love. So since all this and more is true, why are we so sad? Because she was so good, so much a part of our lives, that it’s hard to imagine life without her. The longer you have a person you love, the more memories and feelings, and all of that and more is washing over us right now. Estelle would say: I am always grateful for all the things I have and for all the things I didn’t have. So despite our sadness, we should take that page out of her book and be nothing but grateful for having had this wonderful person for so long.

Estelle was born in Brooklyn on Sept. 9, 1916, a daughter of her immigrant parents Jacob & Fannie. She loved her parents and was loyal to them. She had a wonderful childhood. She was raised with her dear sisters Clara and Marcia. She was the middle child who always tried to be the glue of the family, which would always be the theme of her life.
She went to Syracuse University and got her ba in fine arts in 1938, she gave up a career in interior design to marry Dr. Morris C. Goldberg. They were married for 44 years until he passed away. They started in an apartment above his doctor’s office and then moved to Jamaica Estates in Queens. Again, she was the glue in the family. She raised Stanley, Francine and Susan with love, attention and care. She was involved in the PTA, Hadassah and the Hillcrest Jewish Center. She painted and cooked. She would have painted more if she wouldn’t have been so worried about helping everyone else in the art class.

She was the first woman to say the Mourner’s Kaddish in the 70’s at the Hillcrest Jewish Center. I was just driving on the Jacie Robinson Parkway. When you’re the first to break through a barrier, you have to be special. Everyone in that community knew that she was a Tzadeket, a righteous person, and deserved to mourn and pray with everyone.

Mother-in-law jokes are a staple, but she was so perfect that would do more than a mother would do. She was proud of her family and to be the beloved mother of Stanley and Patricia, Francine and Marc, and Susan and Bill.
Their biggest problem was trying to get her to do something for herself rather than for them.

She had an incredible sense of humor right to the end. She would go around the table and give a speech about everyone. The worst thing she would say about someone is that he was a “type.”

When she spoke, extemporaneously, at her party, she told everyone the secret of longevity: Never drink, Never smoke cigarettes and ….. Eat lots of chocolate cake.
She said: I am So glad I made it to my party.

Cherished Grandmother of Leah and Mattias, Jackie and Josh, Lindsay, Julie, & Brian. Despite their age range from 23-46, she was zeroed in on each of them. They loved to be with her. She told stories the night before her party and listened in rapt attention. They’re all crazy about her.

She was the Treasured Great-Grandmother of Lily, Sebastian, Gavin, & Quinn.

For a rabbi, she was sweet, appreciative, open and respectful. When she would walk into shul, I didn’t see anyone else.

To Stan, Francine and Sue and the whole family, we wish you G-d’s comfort at this sad time. She loved you and you loved her. She was a righteous woman. May she rest in peace. Let us say Amen.