Obituary of Florence Schwartz

Florence Schwartz, nee Perlmutter, was born in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1918, the daughter of Morris and Dora Perlmutter. She was a graduate of Plainfield High School and subsequently attended Marywood College in Scranton, Pa. She attended Browns Secretarial School and New York University in New York and then became a real estate executive secretary with J.J. Schwartz in Plainfield. She later affiliated, first as a sales representative and then as a licensed broker with her husband, Ralph Schwartz, where she became a top producer in the field of residential sales. In 1969 she developed an interest in retail business and welcomed an opportunity to serve as an executive in Teppers Department Store. There her varied duties included the development of community outreach programs such as Fashion Shows, Art Shows, School Career Clinics, Fairs and a variety of Special Programs geared to various segments of the public. In 1977 she became a legal secretary, specializing in matrimonial matters and served in that capacity until 1980, when facing retirement age, she decided to fulfill a long standing desire to complete her education and obtain a degree. She became a full time student at Douglass College, Rutgers University and graduated magna cum laude in 1982, exactly 50 years from the date of her high school graduation. Her remarkable career was to continue as she became a language consultant with Atkins International Associates where she served as a consultant to incoming foreign executives of major corporate entities primarily in the fields of pharmaceuticals, communication, energy and general products. While engaged in these varied careers she contributed freely of her time to community affairs. She was the only woman ever to serve as the President of the Jewish Community Center of the Plainfield Area. She served as Vice President and Allocation Chairperson for the United Way of the Plainfield Area and was the recipient of the coveted Baker Award for outstanding service to the United Way. While she had no desire to become a candidate for political office she was a political activist for most of her adult life. Her interest in education was best exemplified by her participation in PTA activities, while her three children attended Plainfield Schools and her experience as a teacher for Barbizon School of Fashion Merchandising. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Ralph Schwartz; her daughter Catherine and son in law Bernard Rouault of Paris and Le Beausset, France; son Fred Schwartz and granddaughter Anna Rose Schwartz of Oakland, California and her daughter Marjorie Schwartz and her partner Gary Blanchard of Westampton, NJ. She is also survived by her brother Gordon and sister-in-law Cathy Perlmutter of Pacific Palisades, California, her brother William and sister-in-law Lois Parker of Dunwoody, Georgia, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Cal and Gloria Schwartz of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and several nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, August 24th, at 11:00 am at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd. Watchung. Interment will follow at Mt.Lebanon Cemetery, Iselin, NJ. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Central NJ Jewish Home for the Aged, 380 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ. 08873.