Carol Lynne Leit

Carol was born in San Antonio, TX, the daughter of Dolly and Benjamin Fonorow. She grew up in Valley Stream, New York, where she graduated from Valley Stream South High School. She then attended the State University of New York, College at Buffalo, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education – the first woman in her family to obtain a higher degree. She worked as an elementary school teacher and soon thereafter met the love of her life, Norman Leit, whom she married in 1967. They had two sons together, David, born in 1969 and Richard, born in 1972. They built a home together and raised their family in Livingston NJ.

During her sons’ early years, she worked as a homemaker, and as they grew older, began teaching senior fitness, later becoming Assistant Director for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and then creating her own business, Musical Memories, where she presented music and movement classes for senior citizens. She also worked as a librarian for the West Orange Public Library in her later years.

Carol was known for her gift for gab, loving to tell stories, particularly about her family, to anyone who would listen. She had a great sense of humor, loved music, dance, and theater, and most importantly, had close relationships with her family and friends. She cherished time with her 4 grandchildren, Ben, Margery, Jared, and Jeremy, as well as with her sons and daughters-in-law, Karyn and Jaci. She maintained a lifelong friendship with her best friend, Linda Habif, since they were 10 years old, and was very close to her brother, Bob Fonorow.

A funeral service for Carol will be held Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, 432 Scotland Road, South Orange, New Jersey 07079. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Carol’s memory can be made to any charitable organization of your choosing, including CurePSP, www.psp.org, an organization that seeks cures for progressive

supranuclear palsy, which tragically took her husband’s life in 2023; United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, https://give.umdf.org/campaign/project-fund-cpeo-kss/c131343 which seeks treatments for mitochondrial disease, with which her grandson Jared contends, and/or The Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges, https://www.orangesfoodpantry.org/, where Karyn is the Executive Director.

Warm memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bernheimapterkreitzman.com for the Leit family