In Memory

Rosalie Berman (Fialkoff)

Rosalie Berman (Fialkoff)

Rosalie Berman Fialkoff died Saturday, March 28, 2015, in Miami FL. The cause of death was pneumonia. Survivors include her husband, David Fialkoff; a daughter, Laura; a grandson, Jake; her sister, Josephine (Jo) Berman Levine (Woodward Class of 1957); and a number of nieces and nephews. Also surviving is a cousin, Class of 1961 classmate Eileen Berman Higer.

Memorials in honor of Rosalie can be made to http://www.shakealegmiami.org. You may view and sign Rosalie’s guestbook here.

Classmate Elaine Nimon Cooper, who notified us of Rosalie’s death, wrote this tribute to her longtime friend:

Rosalie and I grew up together on Ryland Avenue in Bond Hill. We were close friends from childhood. We have remained the best of friends. I will miss her sense of humor and strong determination to survive against all odds. I will never forget our time spent together; she will always have a special part in my heart.

She was a remarkable woman. She dealt with disability (paraplegia) for over 35 years and triumphed. She dealt with cancer over the past few years. She raised a child and attended that child’s wedding during the aftermath of 9/11. She saw a grandchild and loved talking to him and spoiling him. She had lots of relatives and friends to whom she talked incessantly.

This is part of a note that her husband sent to me yesterday: “She outlived the doctors who told me in both 1980 and 1988 that she would live a maximum of 10 more years. One prediction was correct: that she would die with a urinary tract infection. That infection plus the pneumonia overcame her ability to fight. She died not knowing that the cancer had returned, this time to the liver and lung. So if she had survived the infections she would have had to deal with metastasized cancer. And that would have been a more difficult end-of-life crisis. Earlier this month we went on a cruise with seven others, and she had a ball. And a few days before she was hospitalized, we attended a concert, which we thoroughly enjoyed.”

--March 29, 2015


"Rosie's" Woodward activities included Council on World Affairs 4; Drama Club 2; French Club 2, 3; Chi Sigma Delta 2, 3, Sgt. at Arms 4.