Renee Elaine Stevens' Obituary
Renee Stevens (nee Talisman) age 89, was the wife of the late Perry, mother of Michele Block, grandmother of 4, great-grandmother of 6 and sister of the late Audrey Edlis. Getting Renee to Montifiore from Florida wasn’t easy - Marsha Strobel doesn’t want to be thanked so I said I wouldn’t!! Thanks to the Florida “crew” Ann, Heather, Amber and Teri for helping get it done. Special thanks to cousins Allison Levine and Teri Golden for your amazing and special support throughout and to Ann Frankel, Mac Sauer and Sheila Waldbaum for all your support to me and to Renee. Hayanna Hill - your help to me and kindness to Renee will never be forgotten. To David Block: the twinkle in your eye and the love you showed grandma always made her smile, even that last day. I love all of you for your unwavering loyalty to Renee and me.
Renee was a 1946 graduate of Glenville High School. She and Perry lived in Cleveland until moving to Clearwater, Florida in the early ‘80s. Renee was always proud of her Cleveland Jewish heritage and all of her life would tell people that her grandfather Simon Talisman was the rabbi who opened the Cleveland Jewish Center on Kinsman. That Center was an important part of the Jewish community for many years – especially “the Schvitz”. Renee returned to Cleveland in October of 2016, moving into Montefiore...When she did, her health perked up immediately. She started to attend Torah classes, go to services and parties and even volunteered with some paperwork as well as greeting new patients who arrived. She even learned she loved bingo!! She made her mark at Montefiore and her death, even though her health was failing, was an unexpected loss to many who had gotten to know her there, and see her on her walker moving all over the building socializing . She even named the internal patient newsletter “the Schmooze News” - she was so proud her idea was chosen!! Up until the end, you could see her downstairs all dressed up, jewelry and all, greeting everybody and kibbitzing.
Any donations are requested to go to Montefiore Home. She would like that… They helped make the last year and a half of her life as full as possible.
Friends will be received at The Four Seasons, Building 2 Party Room, 26200 George Zeiger Drive, Beachwood, OH 44122 on Sunday, March 25 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with a short memorial service at 1:00.
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