Frances Gabriel
On June 1, 1925, the future NY Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig pinch hits for shortstop Pee-Wee Wanninge in a 5-3 loss to Washington; first of a record 2,130 consecutive games.
Exactly 13 days later, my mother, Frances was born into the world of the tenements on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They were overcrowded, poorly lit, not very well ventilated, and shared with thousands of recent Jewish, Italian, and other immigrants seeking a better future.
Life was not easy in the overcrowded, unsafe, environments of those neighborhoods. But, my grandparents, especially my grandmother, were smart, resilient, resourceful and made the best of it. Eventually, she and her family were able to leave the Lower East Side and moved to Brooklyn where she grew up, got married and started her own family. She loved her family with all her heart.
Frances has seen more change than I can imagine in the last 98 years. When asked what she attributes to her longevity, she immediately blurted out, “Moderation”!
I agree. For example, she always ate healthy, but enjoyed a few sweets. She never fell into the fast-food trap. She has always done most of her own cooking. She eats fruits, vegetables, fish and eats coleslaw every day and has done so for decades (all those great nutrient dense foods). However, she did love a good Brooklyn style pizza, seafood, Chinese food and of course a good pastrami sandwich!
Additionally, she stayed active all her life. Up until the pandemic, she was never home. She has always been involved in so many activities from every aspect of life. There was nothing she could not do. She did every type of needle work, cooks like an exceptional chef, bakes like a stupendous baker, is creative, artistic, and loves to challenge her mind.
She has enjoyed crossword puzzles and all kinds of word games. She relished mahjong and many different types of card games. When she had no one to play with, she played solitaire. She got a computer years ago and learned how to use the internet and CDs and DVDs. She indulged in a variety of digital games.
She was always on her iPad or Kindle daily. She loved good movies, reading biographies and enjoyed sitcoms; Mrs. Maisel was her favorite. She continued to laugh at Lucile Ball and Carol Burnett. She was passionate about music and loved to dance, anywhere, even in her own kitchen. She could always figure out how to have a good time no matter where she was, even in her little den and kitchen during the pandemic.
She was the most optimistic person I ever knew. In her own words, “I go with the flow.” Of course, she has experienced grief and sadness and hard times that befall all of us, but she has figured out how to push those thoughts into the back of her mind and focus on the present.
One of the most prominent features of her life was her close female friendships. When she was 6 years old, she became friends with a group of girls that lived in her neighborhood on Bristol Street in Brooklyn. Those lifelong friendships helped make her resilient. They have been a source of comfort, joy, and confidence for each one of them. They took each other through every trial, secret, hurt, happiness and just about all the moments that define who we will be and who we are.
There are many factors that have enabled Frances to have a long and happy life. I have mentioned just a few. She has had love and support from family, friends, two husbands and continued to have a full life, honestly making the most of every second she was here with us, adjusting to each change and challenge along the way.
We all miss her so much. Her children, her grandchildren and great children, her siblings and many nieces, nephews and friends will always lovingly remember her and cherish her memory.
