Obituaries

Marcia Abelson was born in Chicago, Illinois to Ann and Sam Wigoda, whom she adored.  She had one brother who tragically died when she was 18 and he was 9, a loss that stayed with her forever.  She married Irving Abelson on November 29, 1945 while he was an officer in the Navy during World War II.  They lived in Chicago, Illinois and then Skokie until the family moved to California in 1962.  Marcia and Irv found a home in Sherman Oaks and joined their beloved synagogue Adat Ari El, then named VJCC.  Marcia immediately became involved in several facets of synagogue life, most particularly Sisterhood of which she is a Past President, and Women’s League.  She chaired Sisterhood’s Multi-Interest Day and her favorite, most passionate achievement was helping to produce California Kosher, a well known cookbook.

Marcia had a sense of adventure and loved to travel.  She was a volunteer twice in Israel’s IDF military and she went to the Soviet Union in 1985 with a group of friends to visit a cousin she had never met, while also taking articles of Judaica. She was always curious and interested in family and friends, asking questions and wanted details of everything.  When Irv passed away in 2007, Marcia moved into The Village in Sherman Oaks and continued to live a full life, driving until she was 90, making new friends and convincing long time friends to also move there.

Marcia was an amazing friend, having relationships with people of all different ages.  She was a loving aunt to her nieces and nephews, wanting to stay current with everyone. Her home was open to her friends, her children’s friends and her grandchildren’s friends. She was an adoring wife to Irv. Most of all, her family deeply mourns her loss and know how lucky we are to have had her with us and in good health until recently.  Marcia’s family includes her children Jill and Marty Lasker and Mark and Janet Abelson. Her grandchildren are Jodi and Zachary Lasker, Jenn Kohn, Jeremy and Mia Abelson, Joel and Lauren Abelson and Noah and Liza Gertler-Abelson. Her great grandchildren are Sydney, Ashtyn, Miller, Ace, Beau, Oliver, Elle, James and Shiiloh. She was adored by all!

The funeral will be Wednesday, November 23 at 1:00 at Eden Cemetery.  Donations may be made to Adat Ari El Synagogue or Women’s League of United Synagogue.