GERSHATER, Regina

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, AZ Wednesday, April 06, 2011 Regina Gershater, 89, died peacefully March 31, 2011, surrounded by her family. She was born Nov. 12, 1921, in Bethlehem, Pa., the youngest of eight children. Her father, Boris Cohen, and mother, Wittia, fled persecution in Russia and sailed to America in the early 1900s. Mrs. Gershater was raised in New York City and married Maurice Michael Gershater in 1941. After World War II ended, they moved north to Westchester County, N.Y., where they lived for nearly 40 years. They moved to California to be closer to family and escape the harsh northeastern winters. Mrs. Gershater lived in northern Arizona for the past five years. She dearly loved her family and many friends. She was passionate about music, dance, art and travel. She enjoyed retelling her travel stories, especially about Israel and her skiing adventures in the Swiss Alps. Even after she was confined to a wheelchair, Mrs. Gershater never slowed down. She would ride her electric cart from her home at the Peaks to the Museum of Northern Arizona where she studied and became a docent. She volunteered at Sun Sounds Radio to read newspapers for the visually impaired. She also volunteered in the Memory Care unit at the Peaks. Mrs. Gershater is survived by her sons, Howard and Burt; daughter-in-law Wendy Weed; former daughters-in-law Mary Lou Gershater and Lihi Gershater; five grandchildren; and sisters Leah and Ruth. She was preceded in death by Michael Gershater, her husband of 51 years; one grandson; and partner of 11 years, Jim Conly. Shortly before her death, she told her family, "You can never dance too hard!" A Celebration of Life service will be Sunday at 11 a.m. in the Alpine room of the Peaks Senior Living Community.