Rabbi Shanks asked for memories of Lillian from the mourners, and Dennis, Joan (Lillian's youngest child), and Ron (Lillian's son) all obliged. Esther, whose care was was crucial for Lillian in the last decades of her life, did not share one of her stories, but she sometimes tells an anecdote of her sister as a young woman, which shows a Lillian in a different light for those who only picture her in frail old age.
At that time in Philadelphia, young singles would gather at private residences on Saturday nights for dance parties. Lillian Mick met her future husband Martin Volovick at one such party. Martin was so smitten by the attractive young Lillian that he wanted to dance every dance with her. This was a bit awkward though, because Martin had brought a date to the party, and said date looked unkindly on this turn in Martin affections.
Lillian had a solution. "Escort her home," she told Martin, "then come back and dance with me." And he did. And there she was in that shining moment, young, pretty, and so self-possessed she could send away a guy she'd just met, knowing he'd be back to stay.
See http://1853woodst.blogspot.com/2010/06/lillians-memorial-service.html for pictures and stories from Lillian's funeral. Joan brought helium balloons that she released after the service, that we watched float up in the sky and disappear. It was a beautiful touch, thanks Joan.
