“I’ll be loving you, oh Always
With a love that’s true Always.
When the things you’ve planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand Always.
Always.
Days may not be fair Always,
That’s when I’ll be there Always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But Always.”
(by Irving Berlin)
The song, “Always” is my mother, Lilly’s, signature song. She’s sung it so beautifully for as long as I can remember hearing her voice. We ask her to perform it at weddings, family gatherings, comforting moments when we just need to hear her sing it. She begins reluctantly at first, convinced she can’t remember the words or sure she doesn’t have the voice anymore, but then magic happens and we find ourselves in tears hearing her gentle rendition of Irving Berlin’s classic love song. And so it seemed natural to make her 90th birthday this past August 15th particularly special weaving the “Always” theme throughout.
We created an “Always” album for mom. It’s huge—fat with the emails and letters, sketches, photos, cards from family and friends who love her. They each wrote what they “always” love and remember most of all about her. She couldn’t believe it. So many, many people reached out to send her their birthday wishes. She says she reads this huge album over and over again.
And the “Always” theme continued.
If you’ll click on the link you’ll be able to enjoy the video that my son, Ethan, created for his grandma as a gift. He even gave all of us family members a DVD copy so we will be able to share this gift forever. It’s filled with a lifetime of memories woven around our entire family—past, present, and now into the great-grandchildren realm. Words simply don’t do it justice. You just have to sit back and even though you might not know any of us, just envision your own loved ones. For this could be your story too. It’s a legacy of a life—many lives—connected through decades of time.
There is something to be said about honoring our loved ones while they’re still here to receive such love. I’m so grateful I was able to visit both of my parents for this epic life chapter. My father is almost 94 and he was overcome by emotion upon seeing the video. How wrenching looking at those images of my parents dancing together, both so youthful and beautiful. I watched them watching themselves witnessing the immense passage of time flicking by frame-by-frame.
Age can be so very cruel, can’t it? We can wax poetic about it, yet the reality is my parents’ bodies have carried them this far amazingly, but not without the tremendous challenges and all the setbacks and operations, mountains of medication and suffering they’ve endured. It’s true that “Days may not be fair.” Life just isn’t always fair. But you’d never know it when you look at this video. Really, it’s all about love. A lifetime of “Always.” Not for just an hour. Not for just a day. Not for just a year. But always…
A Timeless Heirloom
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Lilly Weiss
8/15/22 – 8/28/16
Lilly Weiss celebrated her 94th year on this planet on August 15th before she entered her final life passage on August 28th.
Lilly was a beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, daughter, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, great aunt, sister and friend to legions. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio to parents, Gizella Reichenfeld and Albert Leopold Saubermann, Lilly was the youngest daughter of a family of four sisters and one brother (Paul, Irene, Edith, Rose, Helene). A passionate thespian, Lilly loved the theater, music—from classical to spiritual– her entire life. She had a beautiful alto singing voice and cherished the songs and romance of the 40s most of all. Her signature song was Irving Berlin’s beloved, “Always.”
In her youth she excelled in drama and was the leading lady in all her high school plays, ultimately receiving a scholarship in Theatre Arts at Carnegie Tech (which became Carnegie Melon.) Later, she starred in various theatre productions as well as did voice over and Army Air Force radio productions in Cleveland. Following her performance in “Victoria Regina” in Cain Park, Cleveland, a local theater critic referred to Lilly as “a second Helen Hayes.”
Married to her high school sweetheart, Aaron Weiss, they recently celebrated their 73rd year wedding anniversary. With their two daughters, Cara and Laura, Lilly and Aaron relocated from Cleveland to San Fernando Valley, CA in the early 1950s where they purchased a small ranch in expectation of becoming chicken farmers. It was during that time that Lilly took a course in poultry management in preparation for that endeavor. While tending to goats, rabbits, banty chickens, and canaries, the couple learned how to candle eggs, had an incubator in their living room, and then Lilly drove her car throughout the Hollywood Hills going door-to-door selling eggs. Eventually, they sold the ranch and Lilly took a preschool job and then later spent over 25 years in the medical field as a medical assistant and office manager, eventually becoming medical assistant president in the 1960s.
Later, Lilly studied speech pathology at L.A. Community College, and then received her BA and MA in Educational Psychology in Counseling and Guidance at Cal State Northridge. For many years, she worked in the fields of geriatrics and mental health as an activity director. Following their daughter, Laura, to Lummi island, WA, they settled there and Lilly served as director of a large elder day care center at Whatcom Counseling and Psychiatric Clinic. Lilly nurtured the elderly residents there, many of whom were challenged with chronic mental problems; they joyed in the creative time and loving attention Lilly tended to them using her effervescent humor, imagination, enthusiasm and deep concern for each and all.
Lilly loved her extensive family; the beauty of flowers especially violets and gardenias; all things theatre; crossword puzzles; reading (in particular detective/mystery stories); the TV shows “Jeopardy” and “Dancing with the Stars”; her beloved pets throughout the years; the joy of laughing and laughter, bad puns and great jokes, and making the world a better place with her beautiful smile and generous heart.
She has touched many lives with her radiant loving spirit.
A Memorial Service for Lilly was held at the Grange Hall, 2215 N. Nugent Rd., Lummi Island (next to the Beach Store Cafe). In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations be made to Whatcom Hospice Foundation, 2901 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225, (360-733-1231; www.HospiceHelp.org) and/or specific donations in Lilly’s memory directed to Hospice House, 2806 Douglas Avenue, Bellingham, WA 98225 (360-788-6855).
Laura, what an incredibly awesome video filled with glorious memories. Thank you for sharing. It brought back memories when we visited your family back in 1959 (I think). We came out to California one summer and stayed with Aunt Rose and Uncle Norm and of course went and visited with all the aunts and uncles. After your folks moved to “their island” we spent a couple of days with them walking along the shore and picking the wild berries. We had such a great time with them! One of the highlights was when your dad took out the guitar and his dog howling as he was playing.
Cherish your memories!
Karoll
Thank you for your shared memories, Karoll! Much appreciated!
I will share them with Laura as well.
Much love,
Cara & Laura