Naomi Rothschild
1920-2014
Mike we were very sorry we couldn’t get to say goodbye to your Mom. She was a very special person and will be missed. We have to add that you were blessed with an unusual set of parents—of which you seemed keenly aware as evidenced by the care and attention you gave her all these years and by the beautiful speech you made about your Dad at Maddie’s naming party. I have always recalled a moment when we were with you and your Dad and you both were recalling bits and pieces from a Monty Python movie. The delight and laughter you both shared were very, very special.
Something Jerry and I shall always remember….for several years we worked with a summer stock theater in Montclair, NJ. We never spread the word about any of our performances and yet your Mom was always there for every single one—through thick and thin.
One of her projects that touched all of us was her pursuit of our family histories—not just her own but even my father’s family—the Eckers. It was a monstrous undertaking and I believe it influenced you to further expand and deepen our family horizons with wonderful portraits of assorted relatives.
As I was putting this together I realized I go back a long way with your Mom. On Sept. 1, 1946, I had the honor of being asked to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. I have never been a bridesmaid again and it was a very special moment for me. Prior to the wedding the story I was always told was that your Mom did the pursuing. Well it was a good thing one of them did because look how wonderfully it worked out.
I might not have recollected a really great moment from their wedding without the help of another cousin, Naomi’s flower girl, age 5 at the time, Patricia Miller Hertz. The wedding was over and we all gathered on the street, Naomi, still in her bridal gown, to watch them hail a cab. And Naomi showed us how to do it. She put two fingers in her mouth and let out a shrill, shattering whistle…something we laughed about for years.
In conclusion I’m going to quote a few words our son Matthew said about Naomi, ‘active, energetic, and smart’ and I add always caring.
Now it’s time to say goodbye Naomi and thank you.
With all our love,
Norma and Jerry Rockwood
