Amalia Abrams

Amalia (Donath) Abrams, 1923-2018 Amalia “Milly” Abrams died on January 2, 2018, at her home in Huntington Station, NY, as was her wish, surrounded by family, in comfort and peace. She was 94. Milly was born at Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital, Manhattan, on August 10, 1923. Her Hungarian-born parents, Rose and Soloman Donath, moved to the South Bronx, where they raised Milly, her older sister, Florence, and older brother, Theodore. After graduating from James Monroe High School, she met Lewis “Tex” Abrams at their Bronx neighborhood settlement house, and they married on July 13, 1946, at Jewish Theological Seminary. They settled on West 15th Street in Manhattan, where their son, Donald Craig, was born, later moving back to the Bronx in 1952, where their daughter, Deborah Lynn, was born. In 1956, they bought a home in Huntington Station, Long Island, where they brought up their family and where Lewis still lives. Milly worked in the Huntington supervisor’s office in Town Hall, as a legal secretary to a group of lawyers, and as an executive assistant at Beck Arnley Auto Parts. With her husband, she was active in Democratic Party politics, volunteering for events, canvassing, and fundraising. She also worked on the 1980 U.S. Census. An expert knitter, crocheter, seamstress, quilter, and needlepointer, Milly made clothing for her children and herself, knit sweaters for her family and friends, and crocheted blankets for AIDS babies. After retirement, she began a second career buying and restoring antique linens and hand-making her own crafts which she and Lew sold at shows throughout Long Island. In 1961, Milly and Lew took a trip to Europe and that sparked a lifelong interest in traveling. Her passion for food and eating prompted her to take classes in Chinese cooking and to experiment with other international cuisines to the delight of family and friends. One of her favorite pastimes was watching the Food Network and all shows cooking. A film lover and opera fan—Carmen was a favorite—she attended many performances of the Metropolitan Opera and was a member of the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington. Many mornings were spent solving the New York Times crossword puzzle. Milly will be remembered for her vivacious spirit, her generous and loving nature, her Hungarian stubbornness, and her uncanny ability to learn the life story of everyone standing in the supermarket line by the time she checked out. She leaves behind her husband of 71 years, Lewis, son Donald, daughter Debby, and grandchildren Cara and Grant Simonton and Ellie Abrams. For many years, Milly was an active volunteer at a community thrift shop benefiting Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory. www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-hudson-peconic/donate

Amalia Abrams

August 10, 1923 - January 2, 2018