MARY UDELL BACHRACH's Obituary
Mary Udell Bachrach was born in New York, NY in 1931. She grew up in Great Neck. Sadly, her mother, Alice Samuels Udell, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm at 27 when Mary was 5 years old. Thus her childhood and teenage years were difficult. However at age 16 she met Floyd Bachrach when he was enrolled at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. She went off to college at the University of Chicago and graduated at age 19. Mary was an intellectual and this continued throughout her life. Her home was filled with a variety of books on many subjects and she continued learning throughout her life. Floyd followed her to Chicago and they were married in 1951. They moved to Roanoke, Virginia where Floyd had grown up Their first child, Alan, was born in June of 1954. Six weeks later Mary boarded a train and moved to West Palm Beach. Her father, Daniel Udell, had moved to Palm Beach and Floyd came to work for him in South Florida. Two more children followed. A son Michael and a daughter, Julie. Mary lived in West Palm Beach for the rest of her life. Among other things, she was president of Hadassah in Palm Beach County, a post of which she was very proud. She was the sort of person who rolled up her sleeves and did the dirty work. She was not a person who showed up when the cameras were rolling and then disappeared. Like many women of the sixties and before, she was largely a home maker. However, she subsequently took a job as an assistant department manager at Jordan Marsh, again a position of which she was very proud.
Unfortunately in 1980 Mary suffered a brain aneurysm and a stroke. This left her with left sided weakness and some other significant changes. In spite of this she managed to learn Hebrew and took several trips to foreign countries accompanied by her children and grandchildren.
Mary was a strong and dedicated Zionist. When Israel became involved in the 6 day war of 1967 she stripped her bank account to support the Israeli war effort. Throughout her entire life Mary strongly identified as Jew (as did Floyd) and they raised their three children with Jewish identities as well.
Floyd was the love of her life and he died suddenly in 1993. She never stopped grieving for him, though there were certainly many happy family events, particularly births of grandchildren that brought her great pleasure.
She was a very kind person and none of her family ever remembers her saying or doing anything negative to another person throughout her life.
Mary Bachrach died at age 85 on March 31, 2017. She is survived by Alan Bachrach and his children Bart and Flo. She is also survived by her son Michael, his wife Jeanie and his three children, William, Rachel and Jacob. She is survived by her daughter Julie, her husband Daniel Hershman, and their three children Aaron, Noah and Amelia. Aaron is married and he and his wife Maria have one daughter, Nora.
Donations may be made to Temple Beth El, West Palm Beach, FL
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