Obituary of Sydelle Shulman Herzberg
SYDELLE SHULMAN HERZBERG passed away peacefully in White Plains, NY April 1, 2024. She was born in Brooklyn, NY born July 24, 1933 to Rose Green a homemaker from Klodawa, Poland and Hyman Shulman, a CPA and violinist from Manhattan, NY. She spent most of her childhood on Muliner Avenue in the Bronx and graduated from PS 83 in 1947 and graduated with honors from Christopher Columbus High School in 1951. She obtained a degree in accounting from NYU in 1955 and a law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1958 becoming one of the first woman in NY state to hold both degrees. Afterwards she joined the accounting firm of M Shirlach and Co. before starting her own independent law and accounting practice in New Rochelle in 1962 serving thousands of clients locally and around the country for nearly 60 years.
In the early 1960’s she met the love of her life, Norman Herzberg and were married in New Rochelle June 23, 1962. They lived together in New Rochelle for 58 years until his passing in 2020. She lived there until the end of 2022 and then resided in Rye, NY.
She lived a life of community service joining the New Rochelle League of Women Voters (LWV) in 1960, acting as judicial chairman, voter services chairman, vice president, and president (1983-1985), for the organization. In 1988 she became the budget chairman and treasurer for the NY State LWV and later on also served as Westchester County LWV treasurer. In more recent times she served as state historian for the LWV often lecturing on the suffrage movement, the 19th Amendment, and its prominent women such a Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B Anthony. She was particularly fond of Carie Chapman Catt who was also a New Rochelle resident and whose house she lived nearby. She also served on the New Rochelle budget committee for many years and was well known to local, state, and national politicians. Along with her husband Norman who was president, she was actively involved in The Thomas Paine Huguenot Historical Association for over 40 years serving as their long time treasurer and financial advisor. She also served as PTA president of the Solmon Schechter School of Westchester and Westchester Hebrew High School.
She was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan and accomplished scholar athlete receiving numerous PSAL athletic awards and high school athletic awards. At NYU she was a member of both the women’s basketball and volleyball teams, serving as captain of both teams in the 1954-55 seasons and an assistant coach in multiple sports. In 1955 she received the Francis V Froatz award from NYU as most outstanding female athlete in addition to various academic honors and being in the Psi Chi Omega honor society.
She was an avid reader of mystery novels especially Agatha Christie, an ardent fan of classic Broadway musicals collecting many albums, a long-time philatelist focusing on US, Israel, and United Nations stamps, and a collector of late 20th century art one time owning an art gallery in Miami. She loved to travel especially to historic sites and US national parks.
A brilliant woman who always knew the answer to tax and legal problems and always had an abundance of knowledge when it came to local and women’s history. A loving mother and doting grandmother. In addition to her parents she was predeceased by her husband Norman of 58 years, and her brothers Ira and Victor. She leaves behind her son Gilbert (Martha), grandchildren, Rebecca, Adam and Jonah, nephew David Shulman and nieces Stephanie Shulman, Anne Hartman and Ellen Singer. She was loved and will be dearly missed. Donations may be made to the League of Women Voters of New Rochelle or the Huguenot and New Rochelle Historical Association.