Norma (Levinson) Pisetsky

Norma (Levinson) Pisetsky, age 86, died December 19, 2020, in her home at Whitney Center in Hamden, CT. Born on July 2, 1934, to Gertrude (Cashner) and Myer Levinson, she grew up in Springfield, MA, graduated from Classical High School and played violin in the Springfield Youth Symphony. After graduation from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1955, she became an elementary school teacher in Bloomfield, CT. In 1960 she married Marvin Pisetsky, and they moved to Woodbridge, CT. He pre-deceased her in 1978. To honor him she established an Israel Scholarship Fund in his name at the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven and later celebrated her adult Bat Mitzvah reading the same portion of the Torah as he had. In 1992, she met Charles Sterling of Woodbridge, CT, and they became partners. He pre-deceased her by one week. They traveled widely over the world, always bringing back the “perfect gift” to friends and family members. Together they took bike trips, hosted holiday gatherings at their Milford, CT, home and spent winters in Florida. They ultimately moved to Whitney Center in Hamden, CT. In the 1980s Norma, a supporter of Israel, enlisted in Volunteers for Israel and, among other tasks, cleaned oil tanks at an Israeli Army base. Back in Connecticut, she established a business as a jewelry wholesaler and later worked in the Connecticut offices of the American Liver Foundation and Israel Bonds. Finally, she became an interviewer for a study by the University of Michigan. The term “whirlwind of activity” only begins to describe Norma’s energetic approach to life. An avid bicyclist, she mentored and led youth hostel groups on trips throughout the United States and Canada. She was the hostess of numerous family gatherings, always making sure that everything, from the table settings and floral pieces, to the home décor and lavish meals, met her very high standards. She kept a detailed record of dinners offered to guests so that no one would be served a similar meal the next time they dined at her home. At milestone events of family and friends, she often marked the occasion by leading attendees in her original, usually humorous, songs. On a typical day, in Connecticut or in Florida, Norma would go for a bike ride in the morning, lunch with a friend at mid-day, take an exercise class before dinner, and then top things off by attending a concert or play in the evening. She became an avid devotee of opera after taking a class that included visits to the Met’s New York performances. She was a natural and spirited dancer, known for inventing dance steps that her partner was expected to adapt to on the spot. She leaves a sister and brother-in-law, Sylvia (Levinson) and Ralph Memolo, Brookline, MA; a nephew, Jay Levey of Worcester, MA, and several cousins, nephews and nieces. She also leaves two sisters-in-law, Phyllis Schloss, Pittsburgh, PA, and Felda Yron of Israel; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Calvin and Elaine Price, Delray Beach, FL. She also leaves Charles Sterling’s children, Jane and Michael Swirsky, Pleasantville, NY; Peter and Laurie Sterling, Boca Raton, FL; and John and Cathie Sterling, AZ and their families. In addition, she leaves her devoted friends, Sharon and Henry Cohen of Hamden, CT, and Naomi and Michael Cohen of Bloomfield, CT; and her dedicated caregiver and friend, Donna Jadusingh. She was predeceased by a sister and brother-in-law, Miriam (Levinson) Levey and Herman Levey; and two nieces, Phyllis and Andrea Levey. Charitable donations may be made to the Marvin S. Pisetsky Israel Scholarship Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven, 360 Amity Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525. A private burial will be grave-side.

Charitable donations may be made to the Marvin S. Pisetsky Israel Scholarship Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven, 360 Amity Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525.