Obituary: Florence Casper Schwartz

Florence Casper Schwartz, 98, of Winder, passed away peacefully on Dec. 26, 2022, after a remarkable life lived well. She was born Feb. 20, 1924, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to the late Dorothy and Irving Casper. She was predeceased by her husband of 72 years, Sanford “Sandy” Schwartz, son Dale (Susan), and sister Gloria (Arthur) Weiser.

Florence did everything with dedication and deliberation. A lifelong learner, she graduated with honors from DeWitt Clinton High School and later graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia at age 65 with a B.S. in Social Work after attending classes for more than two decades. After graduation, she worked for Barrow County DFACS, where she helped clients for over 20 years. Florence made homes and built lifelong friendships in Columbus, Ga., Huntington, W.V., and Macon, Ga., finally moving to Winder in 1953, where she and Sandy continued to grow the family business, Peskin’s Department Store, and became bedrocks of the community.

Florence was the first woman president of the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce and was integral in service and leadership to the Mental Health Association of Northeast Georgia. Florence was a true Jewish mother, not only to her family but to those around her, whom she inspired to follow the Jewish tenet, “tikkun olam” (to heal the world). Florence served the Congregation Children of Israel in Athens as congregational and sisterhood president, and she and Sandy were honored by their family with the creation of the Schwartz Symposium.

Family and friends were the cornerstone of Florence’s life. She was known for her entertaining panache where there could be as many as fifty attending her Passover seder. She was warm and welcoming and could always be counted on to be direct and pragmatic, with a delivery of candor and humor: “That’s life, kid!”

She is survived by her son, Ron (Andrée Kosak); daughters-in-law, Susan Schwartz, Helene Schwartz, and was known as Grandma Fosh by her grandchildren, Lori Peljovich (Allan), Leslye Schwartz, Laine Posel (Greg), Ryan Schwartz and Daryn Schwartz; and great-grandchildren, David, Sarah, Josh, Zach, Alexa, Carly, Ella, Drew, and Livia.

Contributions in memory of Florence may be made to Congregation Children of Israel Schwartz Symposium Fund, Athens, Ga. Graveside services were held at Oconee Hill Cemetery, Athens, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2:00 p.m.

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