LORRAINE SHEFF's Obituary
Lorraine Sheff (Copenhagen), 95 years young, of Fort Myers, Fla., formerly of Delray Beach, died on October 2, 2018. Born on March 28, 1923, in Boston, Mass., she was the daughter of Aaron and Alice (Reynolds) Copenhagen. Lorraine grew up in Boston, with her sisters, Myrien and Erma, and graduated Roxbury Memorial High School not long before she met the love of her life, Hyman Sheff.
The first time he laid eyes on Lorraine across the room at a party, Hy told his friend, “I’m going to marry that girl.” In fact, his older sister, Lillian, had noticed a pretty girl walking by their home several times and thought she was someone her brother would like. When Hy brought Lorraine home to meet his family, Lillian was astonished to see that same girl. The couple married in Boston on October 4, 1942. Together they raised two children, Leslie and Dana, in Newton, Mass. After their children were grown, the Sheffs moved to Natick and, eventually, to Florida in retirement. There they made a new community of friends, with whom they enjoyed socializing. Lorraine and Hy were happily married for nearly 49 years, until his death on July 28, 1991.
While her husband was alive, Lorraine did almost no driving. When she was widowed at the age of 68, she jumped right back behind that wheel and was able to ensure her independence, though her preferred method of transportation was her bicycle.
An ageless wonder, Lorraine enjoyed her daily bike rides into her late 80s, a fact of which she was very proud. She became enchanted with bicycles as a girl, when her father surprised her with a shiny new blue one for her birthday. On one infamous bike ride in her 60s, she ended up in a canal on the edge of a Delray, Fla., road. Undaunted by the mishap, she prepared to head back into the water to retrieve her purse, as onlookers warning her of the danger of alligators implored her to abort her mission. She was mugged while riding home another day and, rather than show fear, Lorraine instead demanded that the thief return her bag. Alligators, muggers – there wasn’t much of which she was afraid, including aging. Lorraine refused to think of herself as old, and could often be found standing on a ladder to clean corners well out of her reach – a true do-it-yourselfer. Her other adventures included an actual encounter with an alligator in her carport and daily excursions on her bike to the grocery store, sometimes to purchase one fresh banana. She also had a group of friends with whom she would ride. For years, their outings including eating breakfast at their favorite diner. Lorraine always took one extra lap around the route after the meal. Her daily exercise regimen ensured her physical health for the majority of her life, and she still was able to kick her legs into the air like a Rockette in her 90s.
Lorraine loved fresh food and a steaming cup of coffee and was an ice cream aficionado. She prided herself on looking her best, and often pulled out a mirror to reapply her lipstick. Lorraine could often be heard humming or singing a favorite tune as she bustled around her home, and remembered the words to those songs even when her short-term memory failed. Despite significant memory issues in recent years, Lorraine remained full of wit and charm and could carry on elaborate conversations with anyone. She never lost her zest for life or her humor. She was a marvel of nature, physically fit until the final days of her life. She lived with grace and dignity.
Lorraine leaves her daughter, Leslie Friedman; her son, Dana Sheff (Gail); four grandchildren, Kim Kalen (Mark), Jana Brown (Jay), Barbara Mard (Jason), and Mark Sheff (Nicole); and eight great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Ryan, and Celia Kalen, Knox and Finn Brown, Lyla Mard, and Anna and Benjamin Sheff. In addition to her husband, Hyman, she was predeceased by her son-in-law, Arnold Friedman, her daughter-in-law, Linda Sheff, and her sisters, Erma Zarkin and Myrien Morse. Graveside services were held on October 5, 2018, at Eternal Light Memorial Gardens, 11520 State Road 7, Boynton Beach, FL
Those wishing to honor Lorraine are asked to make a memorial contributions in her name to the Alzheimer’s Associations.
What’s your fondest memory of LORRAINE?
What’s a lesson you learned from LORRAINE?
Share a story where LORRAINE's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with LORRAINE you’ll never forget.
How did LORRAINE make you smile?