Mildred Loren's Obituary
MILDRED LOREN OBITUARY
January 28, 1927 – February 16, 2025
Loving wife, Mother and Bubbie
Mildred Loren peacefully departed this life early Sunday morning, February 16, 2025, following a brief yet unexpected illness. Her devoted son, Jeffrey, was by her side, holding her hand during her final moments.
Born on January 28, 1927, in Montreal, Canada, Mildred Edelowich (affectionately known as Millie) lived there until she married her beloved Rubin Loren who she met during a girl's trip to Grossinger’s, a resort in the Catskills of New York. Their marriage flourished for nearly 60 years, until Rube, whom she lovingly referred to as Ruby, passed away in January 2011.
Millie was born to immigrant parents; her mother Pearl Eichenbaum Edelowich from Austria and her father Jack Edelowich was a native of Romania. Millie and her older loving brother Harold and their parents came from very modest means, and it was a daily struggle to not only put food on the table, but she sometimes had to think twice about which direction she would head home after school because they kept having to move from one apartment to another simply to keep a roof over their heads.
Millie’s mom passed very prematurely from a brain aneurysm; Millie was only 14 years old at the time and she remembered having to call the doctor to come to their home because she was there alone with her mom who passed shortly thereafter in the hospital. Unfortunately, it was the beginning of her having to take on more of the family burden at such a young age, but it was also the beginning of what molded her character into what defined her. She was essentially at the head of her household at the age of 14 and then carried on that trait later in life as a wife and eventually a mom. She was always in charge of her destiny and that of her family. To say that she was headstrong was an understatement. It wasn’t until much later in life after moving from Florida to live with her son Jeffrey and her daughter-in-law Wendy in NJ that she finally gave up the reins. In short, the parent became the child, and the child became the parent.
Before the birth of her first child in 1957, Millie started her college journey but postponed completing her degree until her children were grown. Each day, she rose at 5:00AM, commuting by bus into Manhattan where she worked as a bookkeeper. Afterward, she traveled from Manhattan to Rutgers in New Brunswick, New Jersey to attend evening classes. Millie earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Rutgers University in January 1984, at the age of 57. Following her graduation, she successfully transitioned into a new career as an Accountant at a CPA firm. Her dedication, relentless spirit, determination, and compassion shone through in all her endeavors.
Millie retired from her professional career at the age of 62, relocating with Ruby to Boca Raton, FL, where they could bask in the warm sunshine during their retirement. She disliked the cold and thrived in the warm climate of Florida, which was a stark contrast to the frigid winters in Montreal. Following Ruby's passing in 2011, Millie chose to remain in Boca for another eight years. Up until the age of 91, she lived independently in a regular home in West Boca where she was able to drive, maintain her home, pay bills and manage finances and care for herself without any help.
At the close of 2017, Millie returned to New Jersey to reside with her son, Jeffrey, and daughter-in-law, Wendy who embraced her into their home, ensuring she received excellent care, felt safe, and remained happy with a smile on her face for the remainder of her life.
During the pandemic, she underwent surgery to replace her aortic valve, followed by a surgical procedure to cure stage 4 bladder cancer. Known for her spirited personality, Millie surprised everyone when she dismissed the entire surgical team just minutes before the initial surgery was about to begin, calling everyone in the Operating Room idiots, requiring the surgery to be rescheduled a week later. Luckily the second attempt at surgery was a success. In addition, she was also diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer but achieved a remarkable full recovery through immunotherapy just four months later. Astonishingly, she also fought off COVID-19 twice, all while being fully vaccinated and current with her boosters. Despite these medical hurdles, Millie exemplified resilience, skillfully navigating hospital stays and recoveries, even in the face of initial doubts from the hospital doctors about her prognosis.
Sadly, her fourth hospital stay proved to be too much for her, as it would have required another operation that, at 98, wasn't deemed appropriate. Her nurses often remarked on how youthful she looked for her age, with one even inquiring about her skincare routine!
Despite Millie’s advanced dementia, which hindered her ability to manage her daily needs, she still retained the ability to recognize family and friends who visited or connected with her through phone calls and video chats. Up until her passing, she engaged in humorous and lucid conversations with anyone who communicated with her. Although she wouldn’t recall these discussions just five minutes later due to her condition, her presence in those moments brought fulfillment to everyone involved.
Millie was always appreciative of the care she received, relishing each meal to the fullest and often making delightful “yummy” sounds while eating. She had a particular fondness for dessert and never refused ice cream or chocolate, regardless of how stuffed she was from her main dish! After breakfast, she would spend her days in the family room, enjoying TV, particularly movies and shows that featured singing and dancing. She could often be seen swaying to the rhythm of the music, with a special admiration for Barbara Streisand's concerts and classic shows from the past. She especially loved watching the Macy’s Day Parade and truly enjoyed the singing and dancing. She even loved laughing at the old-time show “The Three Stooges”. She would sing along as she watched the movie musicals and often decided to give a concert and sing at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning.
Millie possessed a wonderful sense of humor and cherished her interactions with everyone, from visiting nurses to family and friends. She brought joy to those around her and embraced life to the fullest every day. With a smile that lit up her face and a spark of mischief in her eye, she truly brightened the lives of others. Oddly enough, during her last two years, she started speaking more Yiddish and French than English and gave you a puzzling look if you didn’t understand what she was saying.
In addition to her husband Rube, Millie was preceded in death by an infant brother Bertram before she was born, her loving generous brother Harold Edlow in December 2013 and her second son, Howard Loren, who passed away unexpectedly in February 2022. Millie is survived by her devoted eldest son Jeffrey Loren, who cared for her every day for seven plus years, her daughter-in-law Wendy Heller-Loren, her granddaughter Sami Leigh, her grandsons Sean Loren, Casey Loren, and Ryan Loren, and her daughter-in-law Heather McDermott Loren, all of whom loved and cherished her deeply.
A heartfelt acknowledgement goes to her niece, Helen Edlow Atzor, and her husband, Shimon Atzor, who reside in Jerusalem, Israel. They made remarkable efforts to stay in touch with her, flying 12 plus hours each way to visit her twice in the past five years. Helen also frequently connected with her aunt through video calls and was the last person, aside from Jeffrey, Wendy, and Sami, to speak with Mildred two days before her passing. Helen loved her Aunt Millie, and she was in many ways truly the daughter she never had.
Another special mention is Millie’s part-time caregiver, Anisha Mohammed. Anisha held a deep affection for Miss Mildred and over the three years she cared for her, they formed a unique bond. Their conversations contained much laughter and often resembled those of teenagers. They sometimes conspired together to playfully tease Jeff when he returned home from the two days each week he went into the office. Jeff worked primarily from home to provide full-time care for Millie day and night.
For 7 plus years, Jeffrey lovingly and patiently cared for his mom, and never ever contemplated putting her in any kind of Old Age home or facility. She was welcomed and loved in Jeff and Wendy’s home and felt happy and comfortable right where she was with the family and friends who loved her most.
Our sweet angel, Millie, will be deeply missed and always remembered by those who loved and cared for her. May she rest in peace.
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