Death date: Sep 25, 2017
Bender, Miriam 94, of Delray Beach, FL, passed away on September 25, 2017. Survivors include her husband of 71 years, Burnett Bender; daughters, Linda (Neil) Seltzer and Robin (Rusty) Stewart; grandchildren, Elana, Nathan, and Dan Read Obituary
The stories of Jocko and your Mom (and my Dad) never ceased to amuse me. I can still hear her voice calling my Dad, Jimmy and of course she was always singing or preparing for another show. Clearly she is still very much alive in her family. May the memory of Miriam be a comfort to those that knew her.Neil
Oh my gosh, this is absolutely beautiful, Elana – it brings tears to my eyes. How wonderful that your Bubby was yours! You are very fortunate, and clearly she will live on in your heart and mind forever. I love all the funny stories that you captured here, and your descriptions of your amazing, talented, cheerful, intelligent and caring Bubby! She was so very fortunate too, to have you as her sweet, loving granddaughter, and to have her loving daughters Robin and Linda and her long, loving marriage. What an outstanding family! Be sure to save this tribute somewhere and never lose it. My deepest sympathies and love to all of you!
My Bubby – A EulogyThere are millions of Bubbies in the world, but only one was mine. My Bubby was there for me starting on day one. She always greeted me with hugs and kisses and smiles, making me feel like the most special granddaughter. She did the typical grandparent thing, spoiling me rotten without any scolding or discipline (sorry mom). She played games with me, mostly involving dolls because I had a ton of them. She took me shopping and I would model all the clothes for her. She made my favorite treats when I came to visit, one of them being chocolate-covered graham cracker clusters. She taped TV programs and specials she thought I would like. Some of my favorites were the musical "Annie" and Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. She sung me songs, like the one that went, "A you're adorable, B you're so beautiful, C you're a cutie full of charms…" and continued with the rest of the letters in the alphabet. She was always thinking of me, and I know my mom kept her updated on all of my goings-on. My Bubby filled my life with laughter and love. But before she was my Bubby, she was Miriam Julia Churn, and then Bender of course. I loved the times when she would tell me stories about her life. There was the time her pet parrot Jocko told the iceman to "come in." Or the time she met Walt Disney and said how nice he was. Or the time she ordered a mint julep on a date because she had read about them and thought they sounded elegant, but it actually tasted terrible. Or the time that schleppy guy hit on her at the supermarket. Or, my personal favorite, how she and my Zaide met. A love story that steals my heart every time. Their marriage of almost seventy-two years is both incredible and inspiring. A true love if ever there was one. A while back, my Bubby wrote a set of memoirs that include some of these stories. I am so glad she did that because now I can read about her life and remember her whenever I want. My Bubby was kind and generous, always showering her family with love and cruises. She opened up her home to my friends, and later, my boyfriend Evan. My Bubby was positive and optimistic, always looking for the best in every situation. My Bubby was musical, lively, and vivacious, always singing and dancing and acting. My Bubby was a multi-talented lady. Not only did she play the accordion, she was an artist. She made beautiful bead pictures that hang in our families' homes. My Bubby was a wonderful cook. My mom still makes her recipes for the Jewish holidays. My Bubby was smart; she was always reading a book or doing a crossword puzzle. She told me there is a certain way you have to think about the clues – and she was right. Now I have begin to do them too, and although I have yet to finish one, I am getting much better at them. My Bubby was funny; she was always making jokes. My Bubby was beautiful. I have been so lucky and blessed to be able to get to know such an extraordinary woman and have her in my life. I can't believe I will never see her face or hear her voice again. I always thought she'd be around forever, as silly as that may sound. Or at least until she was one hundred – our little joke. However, she lived a long, full life. Ninety-four years of dreaming and believing. I remember she told me how much she'd seen in her lifetime of almost a century. My Bubby may be gone from this world, but she will never be gone from my heart. She will live on in my memories forever. I will think of my Bubby whenever I hear an accordion. I will think of my Bubby whenever I do a crossword puzzle. And I will think of my Bubby whenever I see a musical or celebrate a Jewish holiday. I will remember my Bubby because of the impact she has made on my life and she will live on in the elements and details of everyday life that remind me of her. Miriam Julia Churn Bender, you will be missed. I will always love you, my Bubby. There may be millions of Bubbies in the world, but she was mine.By Elana Stewart
