Obituary for Naomi Abrams (Gettenberg)
Naomi F. (Gettenberg) Abrams 95, of Cambridge, MA, and Arfield, Cork, Ireland. And formerly of Chicago, IL, Entered Eternal Rest on June 23, 2022. Born in New York City.
She attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and New York University. She met her husband, of fifty years, (the late Dr. Arnold Abrams,) a returning veteran, at NYU. After a two-week courtship, they were married. Together with her husband, Naomi was a life-long advocate for civil rights and a leader in the women’s movement. During the McCarthy era, Arnold and Naomi lived in an urban commune in Syracuse, New York, later settling in Chicago, where they continued their political activism and professional work in the field of psychology. As a leader of Women for Peace, she campaigned to end the war in Viet Nam, and later demonstrated against nuclear proliferation. In her professional career, she was a pioneer in the fields of autism and treatment of at-risk children, developing wholistic programs to support families with special needs children in Chicago, Ireland, and the Caribbean. As a child psychologist, Naomi improved the lives of hundreds of children and their parents. She established and directed a department at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago and became the first woman to head a department there outside of the field of Nursing. She inspired and trained a generation of medical professionals.
Devoted wife of the late Dr. Arnold Abrams, beloved mother of Dr. Paula Smith, Dr. Barbara Abrams (and her husband Rabbi David Kudan), Devorah Abrams Farmer (and her husband Dr. William Farmer), and Adam Abrams. Adored grandmother, “Bubbie”, of Morgan Farmer, Dr. Sophia Farmer (and her husband Dr. Mark Summer), Jordan Smith, Zachary Smith, Ariel Abrams Kudan (and his wife Dr. Maria Codlin,) Talia Kudan Abad, (and her husband Alden Abad.) She was also the cherished great-grandmother of Avra Salter. Loving Aunt of Karen Geiger, Laurie Geiger, and Dr. Jonathan Geiger (and his wife Donna Hastings.) Loving Aunt of the Hon. Robert Holzberg, (and his wife the Hon. Maria Madsen,) Dr. Mark Holzberg, (and his wife Stasia Holzberg), and the late Carol Holzberg. Loving daughter of the late Dr. Samuel and Sophia (“Sonia”) Gettenberg. Dear sister of the late Patricia Geiger (and her late husband Dr. Morton Geiger).
Throughout her life, Naomi enjoyed travelling with her family, and with her husband Arnie, enjoying many extended visits and consulting trips to Ireland, China, India, New Zealand, Israel, Cuba, Dominica, Antigua, Anguilla, and other destinations. She continued to be adventurous in her travels after Arnie’s death and she made many close friends around the world. For fifty years, Naomi enjoyed her house in Ardfield, W. Cork, Ireland. She and her husband spent most summers there. Naomi was able to direct her program in Chicago remotely before that was common, and her home, “Hillside,” in Ardfield served as a home base for visiting friends in Europe and beyond. Naomi continued to spend time in Ireland into her nineties.
Naomi gave her children, grandchildren, and her great-grandchild a sense of adventure, giving, education, worldliness, music, dance, opera, love of nature, and a pride at being Jewish in her own special way. Her intellectual prowess, her love of reading. Her sarcastic and sharp humor will always be remembered. Her greatest legacy is her family in all their diversity.
Naomi’s daughter Barbara, and her husband Rabbi David Kudan were her primary caretakers for many years. Her other family members and close friends also contributed in major ways to making Naomi’s life the best it could be into her tenth decade. She was very grateful for the love, caring, and sacrifices of her family, friends, and devoted caregivers.
A Graveside Funeral Service will be held on Monday, June 27 at Noon, Adath Israel Cemetery, Middletown, CT. Shiva will be private. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory may be made to Planned Parenthood and The ACLU.
To view Naomi's service webcast, please click the link below to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81056708029?pwd=tlqz3us4EfHDAAsJNZIVaMlg36wpnC.1
Webinar ID:
810 5670 8029
Webinar Passcode:
392178
She attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and New York University. She met her husband, of fifty years, (the late Dr. Arnold Abrams,) a returning veteran, at NYU. After a two-week courtship, they were married. Together with her husband, Naomi was a life-long advocate for civil rights and a leader in the women’s movement. During the McCarthy era, Arnold and Naomi lived in an urban commune in Syracuse, New York, later settling in Chicago, where they continued their political activism and professional work in the field of psychology. As a leader of Women for Peace, she campaigned to end the war in Viet Nam, and later demonstrated against nuclear proliferation. In her professional career, she was a pioneer in the fields of autism and treatment of at-risk children, developing wholistic programs to support families with special needs children in Chicago, Ireland, and the Caribbean. As a child psychologist, Naomi improved the lives of hundreds of children and their parents. She established and directed a department at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago and became the first woman to head a department there outside of the field of Nursing. She inspired and trained a generation of medical professionals.
Devoted wife of the late Dr. Arnold Abrams, beloved mother of Dr. Paula Smith, Dr. Barbara Abrams (and her husband Rabbi David Kudan), Devorah Abrams Farmer (and her husband Dr. William Farmer), and Adam Abrams. Adored grandmother, “Bubbie”, of Morgan Farmer, Dr. Sophia Farmer (and her husband Dr. Mark Summer), Jordan Smith, Zachary Smith, Ariel Abrams Kudan (and his wife Dr. Maria Codlin,) Talia Kudan Abad, (and her husband Alden Abad.) She was also the cherished great-grandmother of Avra Salter. Loving Aunt of Karen Geiger, Laurie Geiger, and Dr. Jonathan Geiger (and his wife Donna Hastings.) Loving Aunt of the Hon. Robert Holzberg, (and his wife the Hon. Maria Madsen,) Dr. Mark Holzberg, (and his wife Stasia Holzberg), and the late Carol Holzberg. Loving daughter of the late Dr. Samuel and Sophia (“Sonia”) Gettenberg. Dear sister of the late Patricia Geiger (and her late husband Dr. Morton Geiger).
Throughout her life, Naomi enjoyed travelling with her family, and with her husband Arnie, enjoying many extended visits and consulting trips to Ireland, China, India, New Zealand, Israel, Cuba, Dominica, Antigua, Anguilla, and other destinations. She continued to be adventurous in her travels after Arnie’s death and she made many close friends around the world. For fifty years, Naomi enjoyed her house in Ardfield, W. Cork, Ireland. She and her husband spent most summers there. Naomi was able to direct her program in Chicago remotely before that was common, and her home, “Hillside,” in Ardfield served as a home base for visiting friends in Europe and beyond. Naomi continued to spend time in Ireland into her nineties.
Naomi gave her children, grandchildren, and her great-grandchild a sense of adventure, giving, education, worldliness, music, dance, opera, love of nature, and a pride at being Jewish in her own special way. Her intellectual prowess, her love of reading. Her sarcastic and sharp humor will always be remembered. Her greatest legacy is her family in all their diversity.
Naomi’s daughter Barbara, and her husband Rabbi David Kudan were her primary caretakers for many years. Her other family members and close friends also contributed in major ways to making Naomi’s life the best it could be into her tenth decade. She was very grateful for the love, caring, and sacrifices of her family, friends, and devoted caregivers.
A Graveside Funeral Service will be held on Monday, June 27 at Noon, Adath Israel Cemetery, Middletown, CT. Shiva will be private. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory may be made to Planned Parenthood and The ACLU.
To view Naomi's service webcast, please click the link below to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81056708029?pwd=tlqz3us4EfHDAAsJNZIVaMlg36wpnC.1
Webinar ID:
810 5670 8029
Webinar Passcode:
392178