Esther Lemanowitz Fellman
Esther
Esther Lemanowitz Fellman was the 3rd daughter of Jake and his first wife, Hannah Berkman Lemanowitz. Hannah died very soon after Esther was born from complications of childbirth. Esther was infected with polio as a young girl. When Jake married Rose, she (Rose) took it upon herself to take Esther to many physicians and special programs to get the care Esther would need to be able to walk. Esther married Joe Fellman later in life. While they had no children, her many nieces and nephews loved her very much. Donna Westle and Herb Glazer each shared their memories about Aunt Esther:
-Robert Westle
From Donna: When I was a little girl, up to about 10 years old or so, my father’s parents lived in an apartment on South 60th Street. When we would visit them, I would say hello, & then run up a long flight of stairs to another apartment. Upstairs lived Aunt Esther & Uncle Joe. They weren’t related to my grandparents downstairs, but what did I know? They lived there, so I figured they were all related!! Anyway, when I went into their apartment, I can still remember, all of her little figurines, scattered all over the place. Today, I would call them “chachkes.” Maybe some were Hummels & worth something, maybe not, but I was intrigued by everything. Most of all, Aunt Esther, had this raspy, hearty laugh that seemed to penetrate right through you. She was always thrilled to see us and made us all feel very special. Going into town at Christmas time was always a treat because we got to have lunch in Lit Brother’s Department Store where Aunt Esther was a waitress. I recall my mother feeling bad that Aunt Esther worked so hard on her feet, knowing that she was probably suffering. But I was so proud that I was being served lunch by my aunt who worked behind the counter!!
After she and Uncle Joe moved to Bradford Street, the figurines followed her. When JFK died, she framed his picture and proudly hung it on the wall between her living room and kitchen. I think she even had a picture of Jesus Christ on her refrigerator. I remember her saying something like “What difference does it make if it will help?” Occasionally, we ventured into Uncle Joe’s workroom downstairs where he had a wall of centerfolds from Playboy Magazines.
Aunt Esther & Uncle Joe loved a good family party. Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, whatever… there they were, dancing the night away and having a few (or more than a few) drinks. She always posed for the pictures like they were for a glamour shot. As Aunt Esther got older, she seemed more eccentric and bitter. However, that is not what stands out in my mind. The big doll she bought me one year at Christmas, her hearty laugh and lunches in Lit Brother’s served to me by my Aunt Esther who worked there is how I remember her with a smile on my face.
From Herb: I remember Aunt Esther very vividly. She was very comfortable and wonderful to be with. I always looked forward to seeing Aunt Esther and having her visit at my parent's home. I enjoyed seeing her at other places too---Grandpop's store, her apartment and sometimes she would spent a few days with us in Atlantic City or Wildwood.
-Donna Westle Greenberg
Aunt Esther was a very warm and caring person who really liked people. She was very friendly and did not seem the type to worry about things. She was very easy going and I think that people really liked to be around her. She was not trying to have fun in life but she naturally did have fun. She laughed easily and was very generous and good hearted. I never recall seeing her get angry. In a way she was kind of care-free and lived her life one day at a time---at least she gave that impression to me.
I also remember visiting Aunt Esther, as we did many times, with my mother after a shopping trip at Lit Brothers Department Store. Aunt Esther worked there in the restaurant as a waitress. I remember her being very outgoing, smiling, laughing and joking with the customers, as she carried heaping armfuls of plates piled high with food to the patrons seated at the counter---she acted as though she was in charge of the place and I actually though that she was. She was always delighted to see us and she always made an ice cream soda or a sundae for me. I always felt that Aunt Esther really cared about people and about me-------and I never felt that this caring was anything but genuine.
I was glad that Aunt Esther finally got married to Uncle Joe even though it was later in her life. I think that this marriage was good for her and added something important to her life. She was a very good person and I never heard her complain about anything.
She also treated me as though I was special and spent quality time with me. I think that she considered herself an expert on romance and gave me some good advice about girls when I was in that age range and starting to notice them.
Her major weakness was that she seemed to be a chain smoker to the best of my recollection. However, in those days the dangers of smoking were not really well understood.
She stands out in my mind in many ways as a rare, unique and special person. Knowing her has added something important to my life.
-Herb Glazer
