Anna Prekker (née Frenkiel) May 27, 1941 - October 5, 2023
Anna Prekker's life was nothing short of a miracle. And she lived it that way. She was the first to be by your side if you were ill and the first to celebrate with you when you were well. She loved to dance and she dreamed of being a pilot. She was the definition of charisma and care. Her expressive eyes twinkled with admiration and winked with perfect timing. She loved bright colors and her fashion sense was remarkable. She was highly intuitive and had the most vivid dreams and premonitions.
Anna loved fresh fruit and chocolate. She would dub herself "fruity tutti" or "Anna banana" and would always inquired about dessert before any meal. Tiramisu, chocolate mousse, and fruit tarts were her favorites. She loved making art and especially enjoyed coloring, sketching, and painting with her grandchildren.
Her career as a nurse began in Sczcecin, Poland where she and her mother Ita Frenkiel Hindes (née) Tenenbaum lived after having survived the Holocaust in Krasnodar, Russia. In Poland she was an esteemed nursing instructor before being forced to leave in 1968 due to the rise of antisemitism. Once in New York, Anna quickly found work in summer camps and nursing homes while working at learning English and finally becoming a Registered Nurse. She had a lengthy career at United Hospital in Port Chester, NY where she worked in the Intensive Care Unit, the Operating Room, and eventually the Recovery Room where she enjoyed being the first person to wake a patient from their post-surgery slumber. She brought her caregiving to young and old, as well as to the many plants and orchids that thrived in her home.
Anna Prekker passed away on October 5th, 2023 in Ithaca, NY. She is predeceased by her son Joseph and her husband Leon. She is survived by her daughter Annette, her four grandchildren and her daughter-in-law Diane Hudson.
Services will be held graveside at Lakeview Cemetery (Observation Hill) at 1:30pm on Monday, October 9th, and will be livestreamed.
Shiva will be observed immediately after the funeral on Monday to 7 and also on Tuesday, October 10th, from 4:30-7pm at 232 Valley Rd in Ithaca, NY.
A memorial fund devoted to Holocaust and Genocide Studies is being created in the names of Ania Frenkiel Prekker and Leon Prekker. Donations may be made directly to The Sue-Je Gage Residency for Social Justice and Human Rights: https://www.sunlitresidency.com/how-to-support Donations may also be sent by check made out to "Gage Residency" and sent to the following address: 232 Valley Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850
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