Pamela Ruth Ghertner

Pam was born on August 4, 1944 in Chicago, IL to Betty (nee Black) and Albert Greenstein. Pam was predeceased by her parents and is survived by her devoted husband of 57 years, Stuart, her loving sons Scott (Jeanelle) and Andrew, and brother Robert Greene (Lani).

Pam was admired and loved by countless individuals and her family, in addition to her favorite non-human friends: the Atlas, the Library, and her favorite book “The Joy of Cooking.” Pam’s personality, intelligence and wit were infectious, and she had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She was exceptionally bright, a “human Google” long before the internet was a household name. While Pam was born too soon for TikTok stardom, her friendships and relationships knew no bounds. She accepted each person for who they were regardless of their stature in life, and extended her friendship. If you were her friend, you were among a select handful not a truckload.

Pam attended the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1962-1966 where she was the recruitment chair of her sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi, and graduated with a dual degree in Elementary Education and Library Science. During her senior year at “Mizzou” she met Stuart. Following their marriage in 1967, they resided in New Orleans, LA for several years where she taught elementary school and “Kiddie Lit” at Isadore Newman School. While teaching, she made many lasting friendships, including several with the parents of the children she taught.

In 1972 she relocated with Stuart to Tucson, AZ where he completed his Ph.D. and they continued to live for nearly twenty years. She worked briefly for the University of Arizona before turning her attention to raising the loves of her life: her two sons Scott and Andy. When not managing the lives of her boys, she became an avid reader and honed her culinary skills; several of her favorite recipes were in high demand amongst her friends. During her years in Tucson she made many lasting friendships that stood the test of time.

In 1991 Pam moved with Stuart to Henderson, NV so that he could pursue a business opportunity. She started a second career in retail sales with Williams- Sonoma and later Sur La Table. As was always the case, Pam made a lasting impression with her co-workers. She was so talented in her area of expertise (kitchen knives) that even though she worked part-time, she won a trip to Germany for the purpose of touring the Wusthof knife factory.

Pam’s life was extended by a “village” of professionals from various fields of endeavor who tended to her personal needs at home; along with several very special people: Dr. Pierre Tariot, physician, consultant and friend, Caregivers Sandra Hughey, Robin Walls, Cindy Pantazes, RN and Michelle Dunn. Each and every one of these individuals treated Pam with dignity, respect, and love throughout the life of her illness, and her family is forever grateful to every one of these individuals.

Pam’s legacy is one of love, dedication and strength. She will be missed by all who she touched, but each of us will be gratified to know that she took a small bit of each of us with her.