Testimonials Devoted to Shelly from Family and Friends

The order below is essentially the chronological order in which I received the contributions. But if you wish to navigate more systematically, here is a list of the entries in alpha order, with each entry a link to its content below. With one exception; the link for Sydney Lipsman, my grandaughter, is to a separate page containing an essay that Syd wrote about her final interaction with Shelly -- an essay that won Honorable Mention in the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Award competition for teens in the DC metroplitan area.
Dale & Debbie Carpenter
Carol DuVall
Arely & Yamileth Gomez
Ann Goodman
Elaine Goodman
Denny & Frances Gulick
Lee Ladies
Sydney Lipsman
Bruce & Barbara Rubin
Helga & Leon Sayadian
Bob & Ellen Stone
Joan Zauderer

• Bob and Ellen Stone. Lifelong friends of Shelly and Ron; Bob went to high school with Ron; Ellen went to high school with Shelly.
  That inviting smile, infectious laugh and wonderful sense of humor is what immediately comes to mind when we think of Shelly. She was also a very classy lady in a way that never came across as elitist. (Who knew that a girl born and raised in the Bronx could speak so elegantly.) We enjoyed the many vacations we shared with you and that was, in part, due to Shelly because she was a lot of fun to be with.
  Our daughter Kim has spent some time with you and Shelly at a time in her (Kim's) life, the college years, when spending time with adults is not always a comfortable experience. However Kim has remarked that she enjoyed being with you guys and that was largely due to the fact that you and Shelly were so easy to be with. I think that says a lot.

• Joan Zauderer. A friend of Shelly's from Junior and Senior High School in the Bronx.
  My earliest recollections of Shelly: She was always popular with both boys and girls. She was very pretty, with a beautiful smile, easy to get along with, friendly, and full of life.
  I met Shelly in 7th grade and we became instant friends. We had pony tails, wore skirts with poodles on them, talked about boys, and ate lunch together every school day in her parents' apartment in the East Bronx, near Belmont Avenue. We spent weekends going to movies, shopping, and talking on the phone. We went to Shorehaven Beach club during the summers. The cost was $70.00. I believe it was at Shorehaven that Ron and Shelly met. [Actually, we met once before that.] My recollection of Ron was of a tall, handsome boy with blonde hair. I think for both of them it was instant "like" that turned into "love."
  Our friendship continued through high school and afterward. But shortly after Ron's graduation, Shelly and Ron married and moved to Massachusetts where Ron was in school. Sadly, we lost touch. All through the years, I always wondered about her and how her life turned out. Through the grapevine, I heard she had two children but that was all I knew.
  After approximately forty years, and now living in the computer age, I was able to locate Ron, at the University of Maryland and he put me in contact with Shelly. We met for lunch in Washington and Shelly shared with me the story of her childhood and so many details I had not known. She was as sweet and as nice as I remembered. Most of all, she was a happy woman. Her life was a good one. She loved her husband, her children and was so very proud of her grandchildren. She told of how she loved going to their home on the lake and of her joy in making quilts. I didn't realize how beautiful they were until I saw Ron's posting online. I believe Shelly's mother was a seamstress and perhaps there is a deeper connection to Shelly's beautiful artwork. I am so happy that we had some time together then and in her later visit to New York where we reunited with a third friend. She will remain in my heart always and I believe she is looking down at her family and friends, especially at Ron, her sons and her grandchildren and smiling.....telling them not to worry, she is at peace. Her life was truly a good one.

• Carol DuVall. Shelly and Carol met at Marriott; their friendship lasted more than 25 years.
  I recently heard someone say "Every life is a series of moments, stitched together over time." If we are fortunate, special people will come into our lives and will stay with us forever. Shelly came into my life about twenty-five years ago and our friendship grew as we worked together at Marriott International. We shared happy times, exciting times and sometimes sad times, but always times I will remember.
  Shelly's family was the most important part of her life. After we retired from Marriott, we made it a point to meet regularly for lunch and I don't think there was ever a time that she didn't say "I have pictures!" She was so proud to share memories of trips and family events.
  Finally, there is one memory that has always stayed with me. I went to lunch at Montgomery Mall and ran into Kenny and David at the Eatery...as I left them, David called at the top of his voice over the lunch crowd "tell my Mom I love her!" I thought ... Wow ... that's what life is all about. Shelly and Ron have raised a beautiful family that is her legacy.
  I am so happy that many of our "life moments" were stitched together. I will miss her!

• Bruce and Ron went to high school and college together, during which time, Bruce knew Shelly well.
  Ron and I grew up along the Pelham Parkway corridor in the NE Bronx and would occasionally ride the same 12A bus to and from high school. Ron would frequently be hanging out with Ron Marino and Paul Malin (the three amigos). Somewhere along the line, Ron met the very attractive, warm and friendly Shelly Kaplan who became Ron's girlfriend.
  As I recall, I met Shelly when Ron and I started at CCNY and we established the house plan (a step down from a fraternity) known as SARF. This was a group of guys, mostly from Bronx Science but included others. It was our social club, and sports club at college and involved close friendship of people who had known each other for over four years. Anyway I recall meeting and getting to know Shelly at our social events and always admired her and her relationship with Ron. Those lovebirds got married after college and we all split up to pursue our different careers and families and life's curves.
  Somehow, Ron and Shelly ended up in Maryland not far from where I wound up but years of focus on family and career did not yet bring us back together. Then, in 2001 we were getting together for our 40th HS reunion, when Ron and I decided that it was time for each of us and our wives to establish a new relationship since we all lived close to one another. My wife Barbara was from Baltimore so she was new to our quartet. Shelly was so friendly to both Barbara and I that we all got along so well. We really enjoyed the company and friendship of the Lipsmans and spent many wonderful times together.
  When our sons were graduating from school, Barbara desired to make a quilt for each of them but had no idea how to begin. Shelly volunteered to help as Shelly was an expert at quilting. Barbara spent many hours on this project and Shelly contributed many of her own hours to assisting Barbara with great ideas and technical guidance. The women really enjoyed each other's company.
  Our families would get together for dinners, anniversaries and other important occasions and interact with the Lipsman family and their wonderful grandchildren.We visited them at their new King Farm home and their home in Western Maryland. Shelly was always a tremendous hostess and friend. Barbara and I would love to talk politics with Ron and Shelly as we all shared a conservative philosophy. Up until then, we had no other close friends who shared our conservative views and outlook. This had become a special bond.
  When Ron shared the horrible news of Shelly's diagnosis, we were crushed to think that Shelly had such a devastating disease. In many ways, the news about Shelly has impacted our lives in ways that we could not have predicted. Losing Shelly has had a profound effect on us and we will always remember her as that wonderful, beautiful, friendly, and loving person with the world's greatest smile and personality. We will miss her so much and we will never forget all the love and kindness that she brought to this world and to her family.

• Ann Goodman. Ann's husband Bruce and Ron are second cousins (their grandfathers were brothers). But by any standard, Ann is mishpoochah. In many ways, Shelly and Ann were kindred spirits.
  In the stunningly short time between diagnosis and the end, I spent more one on one time with Shelly than I ever had before. The Lipsmans and the Goodmans generally met as a foursome, having dinner together, chatting, respecting the Lipsman's dietary restrictions. Shelly and I preferred the always delightful subject of our respective grandchildren. Her face lit from within when she spoke about Hannah, Sydney and Eddie.
  When I had the opportunity to offer occasional relief I was touched by Shelly's trust in my skills as a caretaker. I saw her first in Shady Grove shortly after diagnosis and some difficult medical procedures. She greeted me with her beautiful smile and immediately faced the illness and the probable outcome with incredible dignity and occasional humor. As both Shelly and I were known to be meticulous housekeepers, I laughed as she expressed an ironic concern as to how her home might look after she was gone. The equanimity with which she discussed the upcoming months was impressive and was a comfort to those who spent time with her. No matter how intense her discomfort, she was unfailingly polite and appreciative to the professionals who cared for her.
  Both at home and at Casey House she maintained her spirit and her dignity. A week prior to her passing Shelly was again at home, this time with Hospice care. I sat with her, held her hand and offered what comfort I could. The hospice caretaker gave Shelly some sips of water and some of it dripped onto the blanket. Sleepy as she was, Shelly immediately apologized for the drips. She was consistently appreciative, unfailingly polite and the epitome of dignity. While sitting by her side that day, I was the recipient of a shadow of her trademark smile and thought about Ron telling Bruce and myself that he met her when he was fifteen and once she smiled, he was lost. Shelly's family will certainly be a bit lost without her but I hope that Ron, her children and her grandchildren can find comfort in each other and in the memory of her smile and her spirit.

• Dale & Debbie Carpenter, Our neighbors in Deep Creek Lake. Dale was the realtor we dealt with on the purchase of our condo there.
  Of course Shelly was a joy to talk to but what I felt was the most significant is that my two teen age daughters would always go next door and talk with Shelly for hours when she was here. We even had a nick name for her, it was Shelly Stitches for all the quilting work that she did. It just always struck me how attracted my girls were to Shelly. May the Holy Spirit continue to comfort us all.

• Helga and Leon Sayadian, former neighbors of ours at the lake.
  We first met Shelly when she started spending time at the Deep Creek Lake condo and as time went on were priviledged to count her as a friend -- a dear friend whose passing away has left a deep feeling of loss in us. She was a person full of life whose happy personality brightened the day of everyone she met. She enjoyed her family, the Deep Creek Lake house, and her hobby of quilting. We miss her very much.

• Denny & Frances Gulick. Denny, Frances and Ron have been faculty colleagues for more than 40 years; Shelly and Frances were playgroup comrades and neighbors in the 1970s.
  In the 1970s, Shelly's son David and our son David were in a playgroup together. When Shelly brought her David to our house for playgroup, she was lots of fun to talk with. When the playgroup was at the Lipsman home, we knew the boys would have a great time. Shelly also showed a gift for solving inter-personal problems, as she addressed with great finesse a problem of a boy who had a tendency to bite other children and could be difficult when his mother was around. Shelly's sharing her family's experience with allergies was very helpful to us after our daughters were born. Later on we heard about her wonderful quilt-making. We are so sorry about her passing, and send our very warmest wishes to the Lipsman family.

• Elaine Goodman. Elaine is another friend of Shelly's from Junior and Senior High School; as with Joan, Shelly reconnected with Elaine in the last decade. Shelly had a happy, smiling, joyful spirit. I'm grateful that we reconnected to share the happy times and catch up. She is missed and always in my thoughts. Shelly was special.

• Annalee, Carolyn, Helen & Mena; the remaining members of the Lee Ladies, a social/book club in existence for more than 35 years, comprised of teachers and admin staff who worked at E. Brooke Lee Junior High School in the late 70s/early 80s.
  We remember Shelly's positive attitude and her sense of humor -- very important as we age. She contributed to our often disjointed conversations and provided support to us when we talked of trying new adventures.
  Whenever we read, we are reminded by her book marks of her unique quilting skills and the joy she brought to all of us. We miss her.

• Arely & Yami Gomez, whom we met shortly after moving into our Rockville townhome, and who helped us out with some housekeeping over the years.
  Arely: Shelly opened the door for me one Friday morning back in September 2002. The first thing I saw was her welcoming smile and I felt her amazing warmth. As always, she was nicely dressed from head to toe. She showed me around her beautiful home and I thought there was really nothing to clean. It was spotless and dust-free. It was an honor to work for her, listening to her advice for my life and her countless stories of love and care for her family, especially her two precious sons, Kenny and David.
  She delighted in celebrating Jewish holidays and cooking for the whole Lipsman "gang." That great lady who always waited for me for 13 years every other Friday with an impeccable smile, a bottle of water and stories to tell was Mrs. Shelly Lipsman. She always made me feel like part of her family. Tears run down my face because I truly miss her. She was like a second mom to me.
  She is not here with us, but her spirit lives on. I feel it in her home, the beautiful pieces of art she made, and in the hearts of the people who loved her and got to meet her.
  She had a great love and admiration for her family. She was unique, a rare gem, gone too soon. I honor her by remembering her and not forgetting what a great lady she was.
  Yami: My deepest memories of Mrs. Lipsman: Life is the greatest gift that God has given us. Death is only a bridge towards eternal life with God. Certainly, heaven is rejoicing for another soul has finally reached its true home.
  I miss you. You were an exceptionally nice person, sweet and always with a beautiful smile.