Obituary: Jeanette Zbar Rand

Jeanette Zbar Rand, 96, of Atlanta, Ga., passed away on Saturday June 17, 2023. Born and raised in Tampa, Fla., she was predeceased by her parents, Phil and Mary Zbar, and her husband of 56 years, Sheldon “Shelly” Rand. She was a dedicated mother to two, grandmother to four and great-grandmother to five.

Jeanette was a spunky, red head who always had a smile on her face and left an impression wherever she went. She was generous, energetic, animated, had Yiddish phrases to spare and was known to turn lemons into lemonade. She was a devoted daddy’s girl, lover of her tchotchkes, an excellent cook and couldn’t pass up a home-grown tomato stand. She was an avid pet lover, who had many dogs throughout her life and most recently, her beloved cat, Allie Mae. Jeanette never met a stranger and was the life of the party…if you could get her there.

Jeanette and Shelly owned and operated a chain of ladies’ clothing stores out of Little Rock, Ark. Upon retirement, they moved back to her beloved Tampa to be closer to her father. There, Jeanette and Shelly spent their time volunteering at various organizations, such as St. Joseph’s Hospital, Tampa Performing Arts and Tampa Tourism. She later settled in Atlanta to be closer to her family.

Most important in Jeanette’s life was her family. She was a selfless matriarch and proud of all the life that she brought to the world – an ever-growing family who adored her presence.

Jeanette is survived by her two daughters, Lisa (Walter) Cohen, Betsy (the late Mark) Dow; grandchildren, Michael (Avital) Cohen, Brian Cohen, David (Julie) Cohen and Greg (Dana) Dow; and great-grandchildren, Gabriella, Maya, Fiona, Ariel, and Philip. A special thank you goes to her angelic caregivers, Maria Ileogben and Josephine Bayode, who lovingly called her “Mama.” Their efforts on her behalf will never be forgotten.

Graveside services were held at 10 am, Wednesday, June 21 at Arlington Memorial Park, Sandy Springs. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) or the Atlanta Humanity Society. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

comments