Obituary of Zelda Weiss

Zelda Stein Weiss, 95, of Morgantown, passed away Wednesday morning, February 15, 2012 at Monongalia General Hospital.Zelda was born in Brooklyn, NY on October 10, 1916, the daughter of the late Samuel Stein and the late Anna Kalickstein Stein.A 1933 graduate of Morgantown High School, she also graduated from West Virginia University in 1937. She spent her junior year in College at the University of Southern California. She taught high school English in Long Island, NY. It was there that she met her future husband, Howard R. Weiss. He was a horseback riding instructor and she was a drama coach at a summer camp. The couple then moved back to Morgantown in 1941. When Zeldaâs father retired, they took over the operation of the family business, the Royal Furniture Store and the Household Furniture Store.Zelda was very active in the Morgantown community. She served and was an officer of numerous organizations including the Sundale Home Corporation, Friends of Morgantown Library, and the Monongalia General Hospital Auxiliary. She was a founding member of the Monongalia General Hospital Foundation and a former State President of West Virginia Hospital Auxiliaries. An accomplishment, of which Zelda was most proud, was in 1963 when she and Marca Paparozzi created and chaired the Foundationâs âBall of the Year.â That event has since raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the hospital. In addition to being an advocate for Monongalia General Hospital, she also was a Life Member of the WVU Friends Auxiliary of Ruby Memorial Hospital. She was a charter member of both the Lakeview and Pines Country Clubs, where she enjoyed playing golf and tennis.In the 1990âs she was instrumental in establishing the Zelda Stein Weiss Cancer Early Detection Program. Hundreds of lives have been saved since then because of her efforts.In 2011, Monongalia General Hospital dedicated the Zelda Stein Weiss Cancer Treatment Center, in honor of her many years of work on behalf of cancer prevention.In 2000, she was recognized as one of the 100 most influential citizens in Morgantown. In 2006, she was honored to be named to the Union of Reformed Judaismâs Scroll of Honor. In 2007, she was honored as the recipient of the Earl L. Core Award from the Morgantown Area Chamber of Commerce for her outstanding service to the Morgantown community.Zelda is survived by her sons, Eric J. Weiss and Kenneth Z. Weiss and his wife Saralouise her grandchildren, Joe Weiss and his wife Frances, and Samuel R. âPokeyâ Weiss, Talia Weiss, Morgan Weiss and Whitney Rebecca Weiss a great-granddaughter, Jordan Lyn Weiss two great grandsons, Jase Inse and Anthony Gentry and a beloved sister, Shirley Stein Spector.In addition to her beloved parents, she was preceded in death by her cherished husband, Howard R. Weiss and her loving sister, Florence Stein Sandler.Family and friends will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce St., Morgantown on Saturday, February 18th from 2-4 & 6-8 PM and again on Sunday, February 19th from 12:30 PM until the time of the funeral service at 1:30 PM. Interment will follow in Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens, Westover.