Lucille Gilbert

March 12th, 2026

Aunt Lucille was truly one of a kind. Even though her passing weighs heavily on all of us, I can’t help but smile when I remember our phone calls and visits over the past ten years.

Aunt Lucille had a habit of not answering my calls, I had to wait until the answering machine finished playing, and then I would say “Shalom Aleichem” (which means “Peace be upon you” in Hebrew), and as predicted, like clockwork she picked up the phone and said “Oh it’s you” with her familiar loving and wry humor. This response always made me smile and this is how the conversation usually started. Regardless of what the topic of conversation was, we always managed to insert “Yiddish” words here and there, which made both of us burst out laughing.

In addition to our phone conversations, we also spent time looking at old family albums when I visited in Chicago. She seemed very happy and would often giggle as we travelled down memory lane pointing out the various faces from the past.

Over the years, these rituals became a cherished tradition. It is through them that she—and her beautiful, unforgettable laugh—will always be remembered.

May her memory be a blessing.
Moshe & Evie Rotstein

~Moshe Rotstein
~Extended family, Woodcliff Lake NJ

March 11th, 2026

Aliza, Words cannot even being to express our sorrow. We are feel grateful for the wonderful memories we share of your mom. Lucille was a truly remarkable woman with such a kind heart and a one-of-a-kind sense of humor. Alan often thinks back to meeting you as a teenager—it feels like just yesterday! We are sending our deepest condolences and much love to you and your family. May her memory be a blessing.

~Linda and Alan Nidetz
~Friend, Glenview

March 11th, 2026

Aunt Lucille was truly one of a kind. Even though her passing weighs heavily on all of us, I can’t help but smile when I remember our phone calls and visits over the past ten years.
Aunt Lucille had a habit of not answering my calls, I had to wait until the answering machine finished playing, and then I would say “Shalom Aleichem” (which means “Peace be upon you” in Hebrew), and as predicted, like clockwork she picked up the phone and said “Oh it’s you” with her familiar loving and wry humor. This response always made me smile and this is how the conversation usually started. Regardless of what the topic of conversation was, we always managed to insert “Yiddish” words here and there, which made both of us burst out laughing.
In addition to our phone conversations, we also spent time looking at old family albums when I visited in Chicago. She seemed very happy and would often giggle as we travelled down memory lane pointing out the various faces from the past.
Over the years, these rituals became a cherished tradition. It is through them that she—and her beautiful, unforgettable laugh—will always be remembered.
May her memory be a blessing.

~Moshe Rotstein
~Extended family, Woodcliff Lake NJ

March 10th, 2026

My aunt Lucy was a significant figure in my life. During my childhood, our families got together almost every Sunday, including all my cousins. She loved to cook, and regularly hosted our families on Jewish holidays and Thanksgiving. In their later years, she and her brother Maury (my Dad) met weekly for breakfast at Baker’s Square, and she supplied him with his favorite culinary treats — a turkey leg or chocolate chip mandelbread. She was a voracious reader, visiting the library so often that the librarians all knew her and set aside selected books for her. I enjoyed exchanging book recommendations with her and sharing our impressions. She was also the historian of our family, collecting old photos, genealogy records, and personal stories. One of her most memorable experiences was her journey with my Mom and Dad to the birhplaces of their parents in Ukraine and Moldova.

~Diane (& Joseph) Fiksel
~Niece, Monterey, California