Norma Gancfried

January 18, 1927 - June 4, 2022
Norma  Gancfried

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Norma Lesser Gancfried, 95, a resident of Washington, NC, passed away Saturday, June 4.

Norma was born to the late Morris and Celia Lesser, on the island of Manhattan on January 18, 1927.

She was a strong lady. She survived the Great Depression, Covid, two husbands: Joseph Tabak, and Howard Gancfried, and in the last leg of her life she battled Alzheimer’s. Her will to continue onward, kept her anchored securely on this earth for nearly a century.

Along with her husbands, she is preceded in death by a sister: Helen Frank, a daughter: Phyllis Huggins; and a granddaughter: Elizabeth Colao

She is survived by three daughters: Marian Smith, Rachel Tabak, Beverly Lefkowitz; a son: Robert Tabak; three granddaughters: Janis Fried, Catherine Reynolds, Joann Liota; two grandsons: Anthony Colao, Joseph Tabak-Otero; and two great-granddaughters: Lavender Reynolds and Juniper Colao.

She loved nothing more than sitting back after dinner with a good soap opera, cup of tea in hand, with two cookies to go with it. When her hands weren’t filled with cookies they were often filled with yarn. Her hands were usually busy, the hooks and tails of knitting needles nodding in rhythm above her lap, or the throat and points of a crochet needle, depending on the day. She could also be found poolside with a good book or nestled into the warm sand listening to the ocean waves in their infinite comings-and-goings.

A graveside service will be held at National Cemetery in New Bern, in the adjacent Hebrew section on Tuesday, June 7 at noon.

Later Tuesday evening, after the service there will be a gathering of friends from 5:00-7:00 pm at Ms. Norma’s home, at 110 Hodges Road in Washington, NC at which you’re invited to join.

Joseph B. Paul Jr. Funeral Service is honored to be assisting the Gancfriend family.

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