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In Memory

Pam Kessler (Horowitz)

Pam Kessler (Horowitz)

 

 

Pamela Horowitz, a resident of Wilmington, Vermont, died on January 17th, 2016 at the age of 72. Funeral services arranged by The Dorfman Chapel.

photo of deceased

Location of Service:
The Dorfman Chapel- main chapel (map to our Chapel) 
Date of Service:
Sunday January 31st, 2016 
Time of Service:
2:00 PM  
videocam icon Broadcast of Service:
We offer our families the broadcasting option to create a password protected or unprotected broadcast/video, and the family has chosen to protect its privacy, instead of having this intimate time available to strangers throughout the world. Therefore, respecting their wishes, if you would like to view the broadcast, as it takes place or at any time for 30 days after, please request a password from the family. Thank you. 
A live broadcast of the service will be broadcasted on Sunday January 31st, 2016 at 2:00 PM. Please check back at that time
Interment at:
None: Just a memorial service will be held
Officiant:
Rabbi Michael Moskowitz  
Shiva Information:
Pending  
Charitable contributions:
Windham County Humane Society 
PO Box 397
Brattleboro, VT 05302
Phone: 802-254-2232 Fax: 802-254-3680

or to Dog Mountain
Friends of Dog Mountain Attn: Tina Mitchell
143 Parks Rd.
St. Johnsbury VT 05819  

Family Members:
Pam was born July 18, 1943, in Detroit, Michigan, the first of four girls to Stanley and Dorothy (Paige) Kessler. She graduated from Detroit’s Samuel C. Mumford High School in 1961 and enrolled at the University of Michigan where she began her studies to become a teacher. A year later she transferred to Wayne State University where she completed her degree, graduating in 1965 with a B.S. in Education.
Shortly after graduation Pam married her college sweetheart, David Horowitz, and they moved to Fullerton, California where she taught Kindergarten and had the first of her two sons.
Over the next 20 years her husband’s work took the family back to Michigan and then on to Hayward, CA, Ettenheim, Germany, Westport, CT, Tiburon, CA and finally back to Westport. Pam embraced the challenge of establishing a home in each new place. She started Newcomers clubs, organized get-togethers with neighbors and friends and wrote for the local papers all while continuing to teach, tutor and be a hands-on mom. She looked at every new area as a new adventure and relished the opportunity to explore and find unique and amazing experiences for her children.
Pam loved to travel and over the years took her children to visit Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Western Europe, Denmark, Egypt, Israel and several islands in the Caribbean.
While living in Westport, Pam went back to school for her master’s degree in special education and received tenure in the Westport school system where she mentored students who were designated to be expelled. She successfully turned around every student that she worked with.
She was not only an educator but also a writer, reading specialist and an expert in 403(b) investing for teachers. She wrote numerous magazine articles on personal and educational computing for K-Power, Family Computing, and Electronic Learning. She was also a regular contributor to several local newspapers including “The Ark” in Tiburon, California and “The Deerfield Valley News” in Wilmington, Vermont. She even helped create educational versions of “Jeopardy” software for students at various grade levels. 
Realizing that teachers had very few resources to turn to in understanding their financial future she shifted her focus toward improving the process of 403(b) investing. She developed and presented financial workshops, created a web site and published a book - J.K. Lasser’s “Winning With Your 403(b)” - to help guide educators through investing in their 403(b) plans. 
Pam was a passionate advocate for animals and always had a rescue dog. Together, she and her beloved dogs served as Therapy Volunteers at local nursing homes bringing warmth, joy and much welcomed company to the residents they visited with.
In 1994, with her children grown and married, Pam “retired” to her home in Wilmington, Vermont where she continued to write and edit. She would take long walks with her dog, visit with friends and spend all year preparing for the summer when she would run “Camp Grandma.” She was at her happiest when she was with her grandchildren and couldn’t wait to spend time with them doing arts & crafts, playing games, going to the beach, and of course baking lots of cookies. She leaves behind her son Steven and wife Lisa Horowitz of Los Angeles, CA and her son Daniel and wife Stacia Lindsay of West Palm Beach, FL; her four grandchildren Charlotte, Isabel, Catherine “B” and Charles; her sister Penny Vizcarra of Beverly Hills, CA; and her former husband David Horowitz of Boston 

 
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01/20/16 05:51 PM #1    

Pattye Asarch

My condlenses to the family. I remember her as a dear sweet friend.


01/20/16 07:28 PM #2    

Barbara Finkel (Leviton)

I send my condolences to Farmily and Friends of Pam


01/21/16 02:07 PM #3    

Barbara Silver

Pam and I were best of friends in Detroit.  And I just recently joined the Mumford High class of 61.  We sent e-mails for awhile.  I will remember her with great fondness and sorry to hear about her loss.

 

Barbara Silver


01/27/16 10:34 AM #4    

Barbara Berk (Lebus)

Pam and I shared many wonderful times.   I visited her in Vermont, we lived together in San Francisco for three months and got together in Michigan.  She was the ultimate dog owner and gifted writer.   I will miss our fun times and she will always be in my heart.  RIP Pam❤️


01/28/16 10:24 AM #5    

Judy Schultz (Ancell)

If you go on the Dorfman Chapel website, there is a wonderful bio of Pam. Although Pam and I were just acquaintances, she always seemed like such a sweet person. Now I also know  that she he was a very talented and accomplished lady


01/31/16 11:04 PM #6    

Edie Morris (Hoffman)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was written by my daughter, Kim.   She describes my friendship with Pam view through her eyes better than I could. 

 

 

 

My mom, Edie Hoffman, and Pam were besties.  Pam was the sister my mom never had, and my Mom was the soul sister Pam wanted.  They were each other's sounding board, partners in crime, travel buddies, and bff's.  They talked for hours and made it a priority to stay connected, always,  No matter where Pam lived.  From Tiburon, CA to Ettenheim, Germany in the Black forest to th beaches of Westport, Ct.  Back to Michigan and finally, to the peace and beauty of Vermont.  Wherever she was, my mom visited Pam.  When they weren't together they were plotting the next time they would get together.  They processed everything and anything.  they needed each other.  We all acknowledged and supported this about and their amazing friendship that spanned decades.  I can't imagine how much they spent on phone calls over the years.

Because of this, Pam was my second mom.  I was the daughter she wanted and never had.  We boded in a way that only two people who share a pimary relationship with the same person can.  Th three of us were a trio of a relationship in out 2 families of men and boys.  One of the things I most remember about Pam was that she loved to indulge her surrogate daughter and I was happy to be indulged by her...shopping trips to NYC, treats on th sly.  Pam was the hedonist, by-you-anything, feel good aunt.

When I was 10, my mom took my brothers, Eric and Brent, and I to visit Pam, david, steven and daniel in Germany.  For 6 weeks those two brave moms an five kids toured all over Europe in Pam's VW van.  It was a summer none of us will ever forget;  from th shores of Normandy to Anne Franks's house to the Swiss Alps.  Sure, there were a few epic meltdowns alsone the way and the notorious "Child of the Day" contest Pam invented to keep us in tow.  Parallel Lines an album by Blondie was listened to over and over and over.  any song from that album still conjures up memories of road tripping in Europe in th brown van.  Once after a particularly hard time finding parking in Amsterdam Pam finally gave in and manuvered into a tight space that turned out to be for handicapped.  they told us to get out and limp, laughing and cracking jokes the who could be more handicapped than 2 moms with 5 kids?".  35 years later as a mom with 3 kis about the same ages I can say that there is NO way I would ever attempt what they did!  Pam and edie shared a thirst for adventure, love of travel and new experiences, gift of gab, and loads of chutzpah gave them the ability to make things hapen.  together, they were an amazing team.

Many times Pam cam to visit us.  She would inevitably do show and tell about her latest purchses and thentry on a bunch of outfits while my mom sat on th floor critiqing them all th whil giggling like teenagers.  then they would eat spoonfuls of hot fudge before Pam went of for a nightly bath.

I loved Pam's wit..who didn't?  she had a quick and clever comeback to most everything.  She was an encredible and gifted writer and tory teller.  I recall her phenomenal letter to my mom.  They  were something we all looked forward to getting.  Pages and pages of adventures and stories, all told in her distinctly beautiful  scripty penmanship.  A letter from Pam was a real gift.

When I picture Pam, I see her twinkling eyes, her immaculate outfit, and perfectly coiffed 'do.  If I could offer a few last wishes for her it is that in her next life she has the most amazing bathtub ever to soak in and hr lifelong wish of a head of thick luxurious hair that needs no rollers!

I know that in these last years wittnessing Pam in physical and emotional pain has been heartbreaking for my mom.  She was the Thelma to my mom's Louise.  The Hoffmans loved Pam and will deeply miss her.  Her passing leaves a huge hole in all of our hearts.

Rest in Peace, Pam.

Love always, your daughter of another mother,

KIM

 

 

 

 

 


10/09/16 11:57 PM #7    

Edie Morris (Hoffman)

 

Just scrolling around our new updated website and saw my dear friend Pam's name.  I think of her daily.  Our lives were so intwined and everywhere I look are reminders of her.  She was a very compassionate and talented person.  She was the sister I never had and will always be in my thoughts.

 


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