Obituary for Alison A. Rotenberg
Alison Annabelle (Grant) Rotenberg, 80, of Wyomissing, passed away October 27, 2019, in her Wyomissing residence after a long fight with cancer.
Born in Aldershot, England, Alison was the daughter of the late James and Alice (Thom) Grant. Alison grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland, at the height of the Second World War. By the age of ten, she had survived German air strikes, withstood post-war deprivation, and been rendered permanently unflappable. After her graduation from high school, Alison and her family emigrated to the peace and sunshine of Melbourne, Australia.
Alison celebrated her 21st birthday by buying a ticket on a round-the-world cruise. Persuaded to disembark in Vancouver, British Columbia, she established a career as a university lab technician and met medical student Larry A. Rotenberg. They moved together to Philadelphia in 1963, the first of 57 years of marriage. Following a two-year stint in Okinawa, Japan, courtesy of the U.S. Army, Alison and Larry settled permanently in Berks County in 1971.
Alison earned a degree in English from Temple University in 1977. That same year, she became a naturalized citizen of the United States, maintaining a poorly-concealed enthusiasm for the British Empire throughout her life.
Alison was employed by ReMax of Reading as a realtor for 25 years. She welcomed people to Berks County from around the world and developed an encyclopedic knowledge of who lived where, and for how long.
She was a member of Temple Oheb Shalom, Wyomissing. She was an avid cook, gardener and dog lover. Most of all, she was a matriarch, doling out high-quality wisdom and commands. Her favorite role was as Nana to Eli, Talia and Joshua of Spring Township (children of Stephanie M. Rotenberg), Lucy and Max of Atlanta, and stepgrands Abby and Brady Robinson.
In addition to her husband and grandchildren, she is survived by three children: David A. (Erica), Spring Township, Jonathan P. (Laura McElveen), Atlanta, GA and Leah Beth Rotenberg, wife of Corby Drone, Wyomissing.
Services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 30th, at Temple Oheb Shalom, 555 Warwick Dr., Wyomissing PA with burial to follow at Mt. Sinai Cemetery. Friends may call one hour before the service at the Temple. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Reading Hospital Foundation-Rotenberg-Drimmer Memorial Lecture Fund, P.O. Box 16052, Reading, PA 19612. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.
Born in Aldershot, England, Alison was the daughter of the late James and Alice (Thom) Grant. Alison grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland, at the height of the Second World War. By the age of ten, she had survived German air strikes, withstood post-war deprivation, and been rendered permanently unflappable. After her graduation from high school, Alison and her family emigrated to the peace and sunshine of Melbourne, Australia.
Alison celebrated her 21st birthday by buying a ticket on a round-the-world cruise. Persuaded to disembark in Vancouver, British Columbia, she established a career as a university lab technician and met medical student Larry A. Rotenberg. They moved together to Philadelphia in 1963, the first of 57 years of marriage. Following a two-year stint in Okinawa, Japan, courtesy of the U.S. Army, Alison and Larry settled permanently in Berks County in 1971.
Alison earned a degree in English from Temple University in 1977. That same year, she became a naturalized citizen of the United States, maintaining a poorly-concealed enthusiasm for the British Empire throughout her life.
Alison was employed by ReMax of Reading as a realtor for 25 years. She welcomed people to Berks County from around the world and developed an encyclopedic knowledge of who lived where, and for how long.
She was a member of Temple Oheb Shalom, Wyomissing. She was an avid cook, gardener and dog lover. Most of all, she was a matriarch, doling out high-quality wisdom and commands. Her favorite role was as Nana to Eli, Talia and Joshua of Spring Township (children of Stephanie M. Rotenberg), Lucy and Max of Atlanta, and stepgrands Abby and Brady Robinson.
In addition to her husband and grandchildren, she is survived by three children: David A. (Erica), Spring Township, Jonathan P. (Laura McElveen), Atlanta, GA and Leah Beth Rotenberg, wife of Corby Drone, Wyomissing.
Services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 30th, at Temple Oheb Shalom, 555 Warwick Dr., Wyomissing PA with burial to follow at Mt. Sinai Cemetery. Friends may call one hour before the service at the Temple. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Reading Hospital Foundation-Rotenberg-Drimmer Memorial Lecture Fund, P.O. Box 16052, Reading, PA 19612. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.