Charlotte Edelberg

Charlotte Ruth Edelberg of Pennington NJ passed away peacefully at her residence at the age of ninety-eight on June 17, 2020. She was born in Philadelphia on July 13, 1921 to Harry and Sophie (Fleet) Aronowitz. Charlotte was their third child, among Yola, Helena, and Irving. At a party at the age of eighteen, she met her future husband, Robert “Bob” Edelberg, whom she married at age twenty-three. Their marriage lasted more than seventy-two years, until Bob died in 2016. She and Bob had four children, all boys.

Charlotte made her home with Bob in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, and finally in New Jersey, where they resided for fifty years. From a young age she was an ardent champion of the underprivileged and intervened on occasion to defend those—even strangers—who were being disrespected. Throughout her life she was an avid reader, especially of history and the world’s best fiction. She was active and interested in the world around her. She took up tennis and ice-skating, and took a number of college courses in areas such as history, philosophy, and sociology. She enjoyed vacationing with Bob in Europe, and traveled to Africa with a friend. She was an excellent homemaker and over the years became an outstanding cook. A family friend used to say that “If there is one thing you must do while you are in Oklahoma City, it’s to have dinner at Charlotte Edelberg’s house.” Well into her nineties she was passionate about knitting and needlepoint. Charlotte built her life around family. She adored her husband and was deeply devoted to him and to their children. Charlotte’s warmth and kindness, her intelligence, liveliness and incisive wit, were a joy to all who knew her.

Charlotte is survived by her children Ralph (Amy) Edelberg, Walter Edelberg (Marilyn Szekendi), Neal Edelberg, and Howard Edelberg (Kim Ward); her grandchildren, Alexander Edelberg and Susan Edelberg; and five of her nieces and nephews.