AUDREY KOHN PERSKIE, 82
Audrey Kohn Perskie, 82, died peacefully at her Margate home on Friday, Feb. 26, with her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and long time companion, John Adler, at her side.
Known as “Grommie” to her grandchildren and as “Auntie” to her nieces and nephews, she was born Aug. 1, 1927 in Johnstown, PA to Ida and Louis Kohn. The family later moved to Ventnor where Audrey was raised. A 1944 graduate of Atlantic City High School and a 1948 graduate of Smith College, she worked as an elementary school teacher in Ventnor after her marriage to Lawrence M. Perskie in 1948. She lived in Margate for over 60 years.
Audrey’s life revolved around her large extended family and her work with a host of charitable organizations. She was an excellent cook and baker and a nurturing mother, grandmother and aunt, as well as a surrogate mother to several nieces and nephews who lived with her for months at a time after the death of their own parents.
She played a leadership role for many years at her Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties and was a founder of Jewish Older Adult Services (now Beron-JOAS), which provides meals, health care and social activities for low-income senior citizens of all religions in Atlantic City. She served as JOAS President and was responsible for the development of the new JOAS facility on Atlantic Avenue in Atlantic City, a task she accomplished by nagging local officials incessantly until they found funding for the project. She was proud of her accomplishment and beamed every time she walked into the bustling JOAS building and the many senior citizens enjoying the organization’s services.
She worked for builder David Zarin in the 1980s, helping to develop housing in Atlantic City. She also worked as a planning executive with the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority.
She is survived by: her daughter, Joanne (Roy) Goldberg of Margate; her son, Philip (Sandra) Perskie of Margate; her son Jim (Mary Joyce) Perskie of Somers Point; her sister, Lenore Safian of Mount Kisco, NY; her sister, Ruth (Dr. William) Gross of Mecungie, PA; nine grandchildren, Tim Perskie, Sarah Perskie, Emily Perskie, Jake Perskie, Elizabeth Perskie, Rachel Perskie, Jonathan Goldberg, Janey Goldberg and Michael Goldberg; and seven nieces and nephews, Steven P. Perskie, Lisa Perskie, M. Daniel Perskie, Robin Sadeghian, David Weinberg, Ellen Friedmann and Leslie Kuhn. She was predeceased by her nephew, Alan Perskie and was especially close to grand-nephews, David and Joseph Perskie and grand-niece, Bethany Perskie.
Funeral services were Monday, March 1, at Congregation Beth Judah in Ventnor. Interment was in Beth Kehillah Cemetery in Egg Harbor Twp. Contributions may be sent to Beron-JOAS, 1102 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 or to the Milton and Betty Katz Jewish Community Center, 501 N. Jerome Avenue, Margate NJ 08402.
Arrangements were by ROTH-GOLDSTEINS’ MEMORIAL CHAPEL, Atlantic City
