Charlotte Klein Weinstein
1920-2008

Charlotte Weinstein was a loving wife and cherished mother of three, an elegant and sophisticated lady, a lover of culture and the arts, and a world traveler ever with a story to tell. Charlotte, daughter of the late Augusta and Samuel Klein, passed away on Sunday, June 8, 2008.

Born December 12, 1920, Charlotte married her late husband, Dr. Alvin Weinstein, on January 16, 1946. They were married for 51 years.

She studied four foreign languages, focusing primarily on Hebrew and French. She once amazed her son-in-law Ernie by translating a 14th-century French poem by e-mail in a very short time.

While raising her family, she participated in many community activities. She was a member of a local stock club meeting and a volunteer at Monmouth Medical Center, where her husband served on staff.

An active member of Temple Beth El in Deal, NJ, Charlotte served as President of the Sisterhood.

Not particulary "domestic" by nature, Charlotte did try her hand at gourmet cooking and knitting; when her children were small, she knitted them lovely ice skating skirts.

Along with her husband, Charlotte was a passionate patron of the arts. In addition to collecting numerous lithographs by Chagal, Braque, Picasso, Miro, and other artists of the Modern era, she supported up-and-coming contemporary artists, often attending their gallery exhibits and purchasing their work. She frequently attended exhibits and events at the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. She also attended Broadway and off-Broadway plays, as well as symphony performances, operas, and ballet at New York's City Center. One of her favorite events was the summer Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachussets.

A world traveler, Charlotte visited France, Italy, Greece, England, Cuba, Mexico, and Israel. She made relatively frequent visits to France and often traveled to Israel on her own to further her Hebrew studies. While visiting these countries, she often attended theatrical events and concerts and collected crystal and art. She also loved to travel in the U.S. and Canada and was particularly fond of Banff in the Canadian Rockies and Bryce Canyon in Utah. She loved the mountains, beach and city equally.

Known to be a strikingly beautiful woman, Charlotte inspired designer David Kidd to design dresses and jewelry expressly for her; she had at least one or two David Kidd originals in her closet.

A life-long student of just about everything, Charlotte learned how to use a personal computer when they became popular in the 1990s.

An extremely passionate Democrat, Charlotte was very active in politics. She campaigned for Bill Clinton, and she was active in Hillary Clinton's campaign for the U.S. Senate and John Kerry's campaign for President. She always held views that some might label as "liberal" and was always a fierce advocate for people who needed a helping hand. When her children were small, she wouldn't buy them Welch's Grape Drink because the owner of that company was a member of the John Birch Society.

Charlotte loved her home town, New York City, more than almost anything else on earth. On September 11, 2001, when she was nearing her 81st birthday, Charlotte responded to the "9/11" attacks by walking thirty blocks or so to a hospital in New York City and volunteering there. The hospital had no electricity, and she walked up and down flights of stairs to deliver messages and supplies to medical professionals throughout the building.

Always kind and thoughtful toward others, Charlotte Weinstein nevertheless lived life on her own terms; and, clearly, she lived it fully. After 2-3 years of battling dementia and osteoporosis, she passed away in the home of her eldest daughter, who was seeing to her care. She is survived by her daughters, Susan Rosen of Saugerties, NY; Mary Black of Marlborough, MA; and Ceil Hall of Snow Camp, NC; her sister Elaine Robin of Hallandale Beach, FL; seven grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. Her beloved husband, Obbie, passed away on September 10, 1997.