Roberta Schoenfield

Roberta Schoenfield passed away peacefully on February 1, 2024 after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. While the disease took many things away from Roberta, she never lost her charisma, glowing smile and adventurous life story.

Born on January 26, 1940, in Pompton Lakes, NJ, to Murray and Cecille Berk, Roberta's early days unfolded against the backdrop of World War II. Throughout her toddler years, the family moved from Montgomery, Alabama to Dayton, Ohio to Jackson, Mississippi and then Valdosta, Georgia as Murray ascended to the rank of Colonel and Aviation Surgeon in the US Army Air Corps (now US Air Force).

Returning back to Pompton Lakes for her elementary, middle and high school years, Roberta went on to achieve numerous milestones that showcased her diverse talents and leadership qualities. She was an active participant in the choir, theater and band (she played the glockenspiel). She made notable contributions to the student council, school newspaper, yearbook, dance committee, Teen club and International Relations club. Additionally, she was Chairman of the Advertising Committee, leader of Sealfon’s Seventeen Fashion Board, elected member of the National Honor Society, participant in the American Legion Oratorical Speaking Contest and an executive board member of the youth club at The Jewish Center.

The sudden loss of her father in 1956, at the young age of 48, marked a turning point in her life, yet Roberta continued to excel academically and socially. In 1957, she enrolled in Douglas College (part of Rutgers) and later transferred to New York University, graduating with honors in 1961.

Her passion for New York City and fashion led her to a successful career, notably serving as the Advertising and Publicity Director for Pandora Knitwear and later as the Advertising Director at The Bali Bra Company. During this time (1960’s), she met and married her late husband, Eli Schoenfield, fell in love with all things Fire Island, especially the town of Fair Harbor, and had her first son, Eric.

Fire Island became a cherished retreat for Roberta. Her time there was marked by the joy of planning dinner parties at 51 Elm Walk, baking the world's best blueberry and apple crisps, going on endless walks with friends, reading the NY Times and enjoying any drink with a friend as long as there was cheese involved. Fire Island provided the perfect atmosphere for Roberta to step back from work and focus on family, which is exactly what she did until the mid-1980s.

By then, Roberta and Eli had two more sons, Marc and Sam, which meant more mouths to feed. As the economy was starting to rebound, Roberta didn’t want to miss out on the “Roaring 80’s” so she re-entered the workforce as a salesperson for leading financial services companies, including Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, MetLife and MassMutual.

Roberta faced another traumatic experience when her husband, Eli, passed away in February 2007, but like always, she kept pushing forward. Luckily, a year later she met the one and only Av Rivel, who showed her the world she always dreamed of. The short list of their adventures included trips to Alaska, Australia, Israel, New Zealand, the Canadian Rockies, Italy, Barcelona, Paris, Prague, South Africa, countless trips to San Francisco to see Marc and Florida to see her sister, Marlene, as well as the one place Roberta wanted to visit most, the Grand Canyon.

Roberta’s remarkable life unfolded across diverse landscapes, from the halls of academia, streets of New York, beaches of Fire Island, and vibrant worlds of fashion and finance. Her resilience and unwavering dedication to her family and friends will leave an enduring legacy. She is survived by her sons Eric, Marc and Sam and grandchildren Ian, Ben, Eden, Chelsea and Sasha Schoenfield.

The funeral will be held at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 W 76th St, NYC on February 4, 2024 at 11:30am. Burial will follow at Beth David Cemetery, 300 Elmont Rd, Elmont, NY. Contributions in her memory can be made to https://www.alz.org/.