Mildred Goldstein Liboff's Obituary
Mildred Goldstein Liboff passed away on April 30, 2024 at the age of 95.
Mildred led a rich and long life filled with love, family and accomplishment.
All who knew her knew her beauty, razor sharp intellect, creativity, curiosity, humor,
strength, resiliency and work ethic. She was petite, but she was a powerhouse.
Her fierce love, her hard work, her leading by example and action, her words of wisdom and faith are all gifts we will cherish. She did not ask for acknowledgment, she lived her life for her family and to leave her legacy of love, loyalty, strength and learning for us to carry forward.
Mildred was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Morris and Sarah Goldstein, who were Jewish Eastern European Immigrants. Her father owned a kosher restaurant, working alongside his wife, Sarah. Sarah was an accomplished wedding dress seamstress, who spoke several languages. Mildred loved and respected her parents deeply, worked as a child alongside them in their restaurant, and lived by their words of wisdom her entire life.
In the late 1940’s, she told her parents she wanted to go to college, much less common for women at that time. Mildred enrolled in Long Island University and graduated with a degree in Business. She then worked as a fashion buyer in New York City. After marrying, Abe Liboff, she returned to attend Hofstra University to earn a Master’s Degree in Education, going on to work as an early elementary teacher and librarian in Levittown, NY.
After staying home with her daughter for a number of years, Mildred returned to Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, earning a second Master’s Degree, this time in Social Work, eventually rising to become Clinical Director of Woodside Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan. She absolutely never stopped learning or growing or pushing all boundaries around her. In 1952 she married Abe Liboff, former Chairman of the Physics Department at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.
They met on the beach in Coney Island, N. Y. and were married for 70 years. Their marriage was the pillar of her life. She was his true partner in all things. In the early 1960’s, she supported him while he got his PH.D. A lifelong New Yorker, she moved to Birmingham, Michigan in 1972 to support his Professorship. She continued through the years, fiercely caring for him until he passed. Their marriage was filled with mutual respect, laughter, discussion, friends, family, travel, theater, dining, movies, music, and creating beautiful homes. She stood toe to toe with him on everything. He valued her talents, loved her and was proud of her.
Together, they left a fantastic blueprint for a well lived life Extremely talented, Mildred knit, crocheted blankets, embroidered beautiful pillows, rug hooked, refinished and recained furniture, and landscaped and gardened. She had a terrific green thumb, never giving up on the house plants our cats would knock over.
She was an avid researcher of nutrition and health information and tried valiantly to get her family to eat well. She had fantastic fashion and decorating sense, people would ask who her decorator was, and she would smile and say “Me.” Mildred was a caring and involved mother and grandmother,( Grammy.)
For the last 20 years, her family spent Thanksgiving at Grammy and Grampy’s house Delray Beach, Florida.
Mildred was predeceased by her husband, Dr AR Liboff and is survived by her
daughter, Margie Liboff Tolbert, and her grandchildren, Jessica Tolbert (Nick Heskes) and Sam W Tolbert. Contributions can be made to the Dr. AR Liboff Medical Physics Scholarship at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.
What’s your fondest memory of Mildred?
What’s a lesson you learned from Mildred?
Share a story where Mildred's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Mildred you’ll never forget.
How did Mildred make you smile?