Irene I Feldman

Irene "Iza" Rocker Feldman, 77, died February 18, 2014 in her home surrounded by her loving family and friends who will always remember her as a kind, generous person who could not say no to any person in need.

Daughter of Leon and Clara Rocker, she was born on December 17, 1936 in Poland. A Holocaust survivor, Irene and her family immigrated to the United States in 1949, settling in Ithaca, New York.

Irene graduated from Ithaca High School in 1955 where she was an honors student and athlete. In 1959 she married David Feldman, an Ithaca College graduate and native of Albany. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Ithaca College in 1960 and taught French and German (and was the authority when it came to Yiddish) at Ithaca High School before being an amazing fulltime mother to her two daughters, Debra and Michelle.

Irene and David in their fifty-five years together traveled extensively, from Palm Springs, California to St. Petersburg, Russia, were avid theatergoers, and enjoyed going wherever necessary to spend time with their family and close friends. Irene would always show up at holidays with her signature pastries which she tirelessly created in her kitchen.

Irene was a lifelong member of Temple Beth El and the Sisterhood of Temple Beth El. The children of the Hebrew School at Temple Beth El have thanked Irene over countless years for taking charge of the annual rummage sales which raised funds to keep the school at its best.

Hundreds of college students knew Irene as an uncommon landlord. In managing her many apartments in downtown Ithaca, she was kind-to-a-fault, taking a personal interest in the lives of her renters. On top of it all, Irene was an accomplished knitter and crocheter.

Irene is survived by her devoted husband David; daughters Debra Feldman of Woodland Hills, California; Michelle Feldman Ramer, son-in-law Douglas Ramer and granddaughters Sydney Clair Ramer and Dylan Alexis Ramer of Owings Mills, Maryland; brother and sister-in-law Nat and Sue Rocker of Tarzana, California; sister and brother-in-law Helen Rocker Sheer and Dr. William Sheer of Los Angeles, California; and several nephews, nieces and cousins.

Funeral service will be held at Temple Beth El, 11:30 am Friday, February 21, 2014. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Irene's honor to Temple Beth El, Ithaca or the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C. There will be no calling hours. Arrangements by Bangs Funeral Home.