Born in 1922 to Ida and Jonas Rosenberg, Betty grew up in Brooklyn, NY. As a girl, she could often be found on the porch of her mother’s yarn shop, babysitting younger children while their moms learned to knit inside.
In 1941, at the age of 18, she lost her father and took a fulltime job to support the family. She moved to Washington, DC during World War II to work as a statistician at the Pentagon. In 1951 she met Jack Wagman, a veteran who had come to DC to earn his PhD in Chemistry at Georgetown. They married in 1952.
Betty became an active member of Beth Meyer synagogue and Hadassah while living in Raleigh, North Carolina. When her children were older, she worked as a statistician at the Environmental Protection Agency, where her husband also worked. They enjoyed dancing, traveling, and entertaining friends. Betty was a superb bridge and mahjong player. She was devoted to her family and friends, always ready with a warm hug and great advice.
She is survived by her children, Joan Wagman (Saul Shiffman), Mark Wagman (Sylvia), Iris Borowsky (Steve), and grandchildren, Rina and Jeffrey Wagman, Miriam and Eliza Shiffman, and Hannah and Naomi Borowsky. They will greatly miss their wise, funny, loving mother and grandmother.
The family extends sincere gratitude for the loving care provided by Lodge Lane, Comfort Keepers, and Compassionate Care Hospice.
Burial took place in a private ceremony at the Raleigh Hebrew Cemetery.
The family suggests donations to Beth Meyer Synagogue, 504 Newton Rd., Raleigh, NC 27615, bethmeyer.org, or an environmental organization of your choosing.
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