Memorial Service Livestream
Monday Feb 22, 2021 at 12:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83680111721
Shiva will be held Monday, February 22 at 6:30 PM on Zoom.
or call Adath Israel Congregation at 609-896-4977
Memorial Contributions may be made to
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Click here to make a memorial contribution
Or by phone: (800) 805-5856, reference account # 1875-8765
Florence (Florrie) W. Banks, of Columbus, New Jersey, passed away peacefully, six weeks shy of her 96th birthday, on February 16, 2021 while sitting in her favorite chair.
Born in New York City to Fannie (Reines) and David Wolff, she grew up in Union City, NJ and was a proud alumna of Emerson (UC) High School. She married Milton Wasserman and they lived in Clark, NJ for 15 years until his passing in 1971. Florrie married Bernard Banks and moved to Edison, NJ. Upon Bernie’s retirement, they found a new home in the Homestead community in Columbus in 1986.
Soon after moving, Florrie put a small notice in the community newsletter. She would be knitting in the clubhouse on Tuesday afternoon. Please come by if you wanted to knit with some company. The group grew and grew, adopting the name the Knitwits. Still active (although eagerly awaiting the end of the pandemic), they quickly fulfilled every request within their own friends and families and began knitting blankets and wool hats for local charities, helping countless people in the process.
Along the way, she also had time to be involved in Hadassah, including several terms as President of her local chapter, and her weekly mah jongg games. In her younger days, she had been an excellent bowler.
Florrie was a force of positive energy, using her unlimited optimism, life experiences and gift of gab to impact the lives of many people. She famously told any who asked that the key to being happy was dancing before breakfast, which she did daily. For her children, a highlight of any family wedding was watching Florrie and Bernie glide across the dance floor with a style and grace from a time gone by.
Predeceased by her two husbands, she is survived in the traditional sense by three sons, Rick (Jennifer) Wasserman, Alan (Margaret Johnson) Wasserman and Marc (Jenny) Banks; grandchildren Rachel (Ben Barnes), Noah and Hannah Wasserman, Jennifer (Jeffrey) Spalt and Ted Banks and great grandchildren Jillian, Kylie and Katelyn Spalt. In addition, she leaves many nieces, nephews and cousins. However, in a truer sense, to enter her life was to enter her family and she leaves behind many people whom she long ago stopped differentiating by title or genetics.
Due to Covid-19 gathering restrictions, funeral services and burial are private at Montefiore Cemetery in Springfield Gardens, Queens, New York.
A live streamed memorial service will be held at 12:30 PM on Monday, February 22.
RIP Flo. We will always cherish our friendship, even though for a long time now, it was from a far distance. We know that you will still keep everyone smiling with your wit and personality.
Always in our hearts and minds,
Naomi and Norman
Florrie was quite a lady and only one of a kind. I will miss her and her special and warm personality sorely and often, but know, warmly, she is now a heavenly body.
Florrie (Flossie )as I called her was such a special lady. I first met her in the 80’s as she applied for a telemarketing job and I immediately recognized how full of life she was. Always up beat and the stories she could tell were always so interesting. Will miss our lunches at Applebee’s and the times we spent together. She was very special to me. RIP my friend so glad to have known you.
Florrie was like sunshine! She was also my mother’s (Ruth Wohlemberg) closest friend. She enriched the lives of so many, and I feel lucky to have known her and that we had one more telephone chat (I live in Texas) on February 7th. Her “Dancing before Breakfast” card she mailed me a year ago, has been on my fridge since, where it will stay. While I have not tried that yet, I think I will start. Thank you for your positive energy, your open mind, your love and sage advice, Florrie! I have a feeling that you and mom are up in heaven, dancing all the time! XO
I only knew Florrie for the last 6 years or so, but she was very dear to me. Her warm, fun personality always made me happy to around her. I will miss her greatly.
I will always remember my cousin Sheila saying – You have to meet my Aunt Flo, you will love her. How right she was ! It was an instant friendship. Every time we were together was a time of laughter and joy.
Thank you for sharing your mother’s story, she was a remarkable woman. Our sincere sympathies are with you.
Florrie was one of a kind! I had over 30 years enjoying a variety of activities with her since living at the Homestead community — whether it was knitting, Hadassah meetings and fund-raising, enjoying opera performances at the local cinema, or just laughing over some routine female summertime reminiscences at the swimming pool deck, it was fun with Florrie. We will all truly miss her truly upbeat attitude.
Will always love you Florrie. Having you in my life was such a blessing to me and my family!
Rest in peace dear Florrie!
It was our honor to have known you.
You were always bright, positive and interesting to be with and talk to.
Although, we only knew you for these past several years, your warmth, caring and sweet soul, as well as the love we have for you & your family, made it feel like a lifetime. We’ll miss you!
God Bless!
Gail and Bob
I never had the privilege to have met Mrs. Banks but knowing her son, Rick, and his love for his family I am certain it all stemmed from Mrs. Banks.
Rest In Peace, Mrs. Banks.
How lucky we all were to know and love such a beautiful and precious soul Florrie. We always enjoyed her wonderful stories and sweet conversations. With her sharp mind and wit, there was always time for anyone and everyone who came into her circle whether in person or on our phone talks. She exuded love of family, positivity and the sweet essence of life. She was a gem and will be sorely missed. We love you Florrie. Rest in Peace. 💋💋💋
We will always love and remember you, Florrie. Our thanks to the Wasserman family and Rabbi Alan for the warm and moving memorial service.
Thanks so much for the service – it was truly a wonderful tribute. Love to all, most of all to Aunt Florrie who I saw not nearly enough over the years but loved every minute I had with her. Love to all <3
It was an honor to know you Florrie. I shall always remember you, “Dance before breakfast”. Rest in peace lovely lady
On behalf of the Homestead Knit Wits, my condolences to Florrie’s family. She was a highlight of the Knit Wits meetings with many stories to relate. We all were given cards to remind us to “dance before breakfast.” Florrie called me in February in response to an article about the Knit Wits that I had written for the Happenings newsletter. She wanted to thank me for carrying on with the group that she had founded over 30 years ago. We spoke of hopefully getting back together in person soon. Rest in Peace Florrie.
“Lovely Flo” as she was always referred to by the Kleinman’s, was part of our lives for so many years. I remember Flo bringing Rick and Alan to my living room when they were little kids where son Robert taught them to play the accordion. He immediately recognized that Alan had actual musical talent (and Rick had none) so look at Alan now!!! Robert (now an accomplished musician and attorney) is proud he was part of the beginning. One of our grandkids,age about ten, prounounced Flo as “very old but way cool”which was always the perfect description. We were so happy to visit her in her lovely home every time we travelled from Florida. A lifetime of memories….she will be missed.