Women's Hoops Guru

When Joe Levine asked me if there were to be any speakers today, I said “Yes, I will be speaking about my mom.” He said if you can, make it short. Well, as most of you know, when the Greenberg children speak—it is hard to make it short! Anyway, how can you make someone whose life encompassed 85 wonderful years and was very rich in its history, short?

“Cute,” “Little,” “Adorable,” “Funny,” “Best Dressed,” “Frank,” “Sassy”- these were all of the endearing terms that my mom was called in her later years, and her question to me would always be the same, “Since when did I become cute?”

Our mother was born September 12, 1922 to Anna and Morris Newland, first cousins. She was the youngest sister to Selda and William Newland who were substantially older than she, so she would always tell me she was an “accident.” She grew up in North Philadelphia as a shy, sheltered young girl. Her family were very observant Jews who put family values first. Holiday dinners with the family were major events. My mother’s best friends as a youngster were her extended family of many cousins who she adored. The world grew much bigger for her when her sister Selda married her husband Lou and moved to Trenton and she got to travel there.

During her teens she became friendly with a wonderful group of girls who were her “sorority” sisters and a whole new social life opened up for her. Her friend Frances knew of a handsome young man she wanted to fix my mother up with. The young man, at the time, was stationed in Charleston, S.C., building ships for the War. His name was Jack Greenberg, and he was from Strawberry Mansion. Names and addresses were exchanged, and the love affair through correspondence began.

Dad was very handsome and had the gift of writing, and boy did he “wow” my mom. Mom loved to share this story with her granddaughters, and my father’s love letters have become a legacy. Before long, they were married and my mother’s world grew to include dad’s parents, Anna and Louis, and two brothers-in-law George and Albert.

My mother also found a new best friend in Marjorie Needleman, dad’s best friend Ben’s English wife. They remained inseparable for the rest of my mother’s life, sharing everyday activities and all life cycle events.

Time moved on and my brother was born on April 16, 1947. He was the light of my parent’s life. Mom would often tell me stories of her pregnancy with my brother and then all of the things they did together when he was little. I think to this day my brother was still my mom’s baby.

The next chapter happened seven years later when I was born on St. Patrick’s Day. My mother told me how happy she was to have a daughter and I believe that her life had now become complete. She was able to live her life in her favorite role, as wife and mother. She was an impeccable housewife, our house could always pass the “dust” test and our laundry was always the cleanest. Dinner was always a family affair with pleasing my father as the prime object of the night. I can recall mom waiting with that special kiss as he walked up the cellar steps every night from his job as an ironworker.

Mom had so many friends that she could often be found talking on the phone, arranging get togethers and family outings. She had more groups of friends than any one I know, including me. It was hard to keep track of which friend went with each group. Mom and Dad were founding fathers of Beth Emeth Synagogue which she faithfully attended until getting sick last year. She never wanted to be “in charge” but she supported each event. She even became active in all of my father’s organizations including Deborah and the Chaim Solomon Lodge of Brith Sholom.

Our life on Akron Street in Northeast Philly was like scenes from Ozzie and Harriet or the Brady Bunch and my brother and I have the best memories. Mom was often seen as the group leader for the street as the neighbors always traveled in a pack whether it was to Barnegat Light for a fishing outing, or just simply in the back yard for a barb-b-que. Mah Jong or cards was the happening thing every Tuesday night and that’s when goodies were plentiful in our house.

Mom never liked the attention to be placed on her; rather she always liked doing things for other people. She was always complimenting people, even ones that she didn’t know, and always knew how to make someone feel welcome and appreciated. She really was a very special magnet. She always told me I was the best at everything I did but somehow each time I did something it became the new best.

Mom also was an avid follower of English royalty and loved to read stories about them. Once she even asked a college aged boy working in the fudge shop in Ocean City, Md., what he thought about “Charles’” after the Diana and Charles scandal. I thought my girls were going to fall through the floor in embarrassment.

Traveling was a passion that my mother enjoyed. The trips that she shared with my father were so wonderful that the memories carried her through her final days. Every time she got to go somewhere, she would tell me that I had to go to the same place. She loved the bus trips to the Casino, you know when they used to give you the $10 in quarters, and that is what she gambled with. She couldn’t wait to tell me about her winnings which seemed to never amount to more than $10, when they actually happened.

In 1976 I married Perry and started a new life away from Akron Street. Mom had a hard time with this as we had never been apart and her role had to now change. At the age of 55 my mother decided to go to work to give her life new meaning. She loved getting dressed every day, standing at the bus stop at 6:30 in the morning and going into town. She thought she had really arrived.

Life took on new meaning for my mother when she became a “Mom Mom.” Her granddaughters, Neena and Allison became the light of her life. She loved babysitting for them when they were younger and then sharing good times with them and listening to all of their escapades when they got older. She needed to always know every detail about them.

One favorite time that they shared quite often was going out for crabs. She never seemed to get enough of Chickie and Pete's. When the girls were younger they got to spend many days on the beach with mom and dad in Ocean City, MD.

More recently, my mom was so excited for Neena as she got ready to move into an apartment with Matt. She was ecstatic that she would be living so close to her and would be able to visit. The week before my mother got sick she used all of her energy to climb an entire flight of stairs to see the apartment. She loved to listen to Allison play the piano and would often say “tickle the keys for me Ali.” She was also so concerned with Allison’s love life that in her final days upon hearing of a date Allison was going on she sat up in bed and shouted Yippee Kayo Kai Yea.

Mom loved showing off the many pictures she had decorating her home of her beautiful granddaughters and was so proud of their careers, Neena, a Spanish teacher and Allison an Executive Recruiter.

My mother became a fan of the sports section of the Philadelphia Inquirer because she loved to read Mel’s articles about Women’s Basketball. She was so proud of all of his achievements which included being inducted into The Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, The Big Five Hall of Fame, the US Basketball Writers Hall of Fame and finally the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Even though mom was too sick to travel to Tennessee to see her son receive this award, she participated in the party held by the Inquirer in which my brother had everyone give her a standing ovation and then summoned up the energy to climb another flight of stairs at Doc Watson’s to party.

The final chapter in my mom’s life began one year ago next month. I had to move her from her home of 55 years where she lived with all of the happy memories of my father to an assisted living facility. This was not an easy feat--how to pick a new home for someone who hates change. My girlfriend told me that when you find one that you like you will know it.

Perry actually discovered Blue Bell Place in Blue Bell for mom. It became her home away from her home. Even though she often complained about the food and tried to tell the Food Director how to cook and what activities should be offered, she was developing a new social life. Little did I know how popular she was becoming. She first developed a very special friendship with Mary, her therapist, who filled her days with massage therapy and conversation as she tried to bring her paralyzed arm back to life from the shingles, an endeavor they both worked hard at and were successful in accomplishing.

Trish, Theresa, Jill, Amanda and a few special others from Blue Bell Place were my mother’s angels as they lovingly took care of her as if she were their own mother in her final days. The endless hours you all spent caring for her and trying to keep her comfortable is forever in my heart.

My mom was my best friend. No matter if I was happy, sad, angry, tired, she was always there for me. My mother always made me feel that I was the best there was to be. She was the best role model in every thing she did. The simplest pleasures became the biggest treats for her. Eating a new food, cooking a recipe that she discovered from watching the Food Network, watching birds and butterflies or planting a garden made her happy.

She never wanted to bother or be an imposition to anyone. She truly was a woman of valor that I hope I can continue to emulate through my life and pass the traits on to my daughters. Mom, rest in peace, be happy that you are finally back with daddy and I will see you in my dreams.