Selda Ginsburg Steinberg May 23, 1928 - August 28, 2021
Hallandale, Florida - Selda Ruth Ginsburg Steinberg May 23, 1928-August 28, 2021
Selda, our “Gummy,” was born in Boston to Paul Ginsburg and Miriam Dobrien. Her father passed away when she was 6 months old and she was raised by her mother. She worked as a bookkeeper for the Morse Shoe Company. She was predeceased by her husband Phil, the love of her life. They lived in Manhattan, Rego Park and Forest Hills, NY. Phil retired in 1968 and in 1975 they packed up a car and moved to Florida, living in various hotels in Surfside until they settled at the Hemispheres in Hallandale. Selda lived an incredibly full 93 years. She was a world traveler, a bridge, mah jongg and canasta player, a trivia buff, a lover of social media and a loyal friend. She loved all things purple, including nails, jewelry, cars, and to the family’s surprise, her entire apartment. She took pride in driving her friends to their various appointments into her 80’s. Her most important role was our family matriarch. She had a bawdy sense of humor and loved a “sex on the beach” cocktail.
Her life was full and fascinating. She and her husband were early investors in the Brown-Forman Corporation, hence her love of all things Jack Daniels. Her husband was a 4 year combat World War 2 Veteran and advertising pioneer, who partnered with Walt Disney in the 1960’s for their first mail order record album campaign. Gummy used to point out all of the Disney executives, who she knew personally, whose names are engraved on “Main Street” in Walt Disney World. She and Phil were friendly with the Gabor sisters and their mother, Jolie. Talking to her was akin to a living time capsule of history because she was so sharp. She had many health setbacks over the course of the past 4 years, including breast, colon, lung and brain cancers and a kidney removal. They were well controlled because of her amazing medical team at Memorial Hospital of Hollywood.
She never took a daily medication until the age of 89. Her mantra of late was “I don’t want any downtime.” The irony is not lost on us that although she had all these ailments, she succumbed to COVID. She was awaiting her 3rd vaccination. She is predeceased by her husband Philip Steinberg and great grandchildren, Madison Klein and Ryan Klein. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Dale and Leonard Fishbaum, Her son and daughter-inlaw, Howard and Joelle Steinberg, her grandchildren, Stephen (Sagit) Fishbaum, Stacy Klein, Felicia (Mitchell) Ulman, Brandon Steinberg, Spencer Steinberg, and Philip Steinberg, her great grandchildren Brandon, Andrew and Jonathon Fishbaum, Brian Klein and Daniel and Charlotte Ulman. She adored her machatunim, Dr. Alan and Marilyn Wagshul, and her close friendship with Glenda Shacter.
We are forever grateful to her amazing team of physicians, Dr. Abdur Baig, Dr. Michael Cohn, Dr. Yale Cohen, Dr. Khaled Diab, Dr. Ronald Gup, Dr. Jeffrey Hertz, Dr. Isaac Chocron Kaswan, Dr. Charles Stone, Dr. Srinrath Sundararaman, Dr. Amir Torshizi and Seasons Hospice as well as the physicians and nursing staff of 5 West at Memorial Hospital. Thank you to her amazing and kind caretakers, Elaine Williams and Lily Herrera. Thank you to our friend, Dr. Jack Pines for facilitating a final facetime call with her, as we were not allowed to see her during her final 2 weeks of life.
Cheers to you Gummy, you mattered and you are forever loved and cherished. We take comfort that now, after 37 years of patiently waiting, you are reunited with your husband Phil. Forever in our hearts. Private services are being arranged.