Pennie Richelson Pearlman

Pennie, granddaughter Erin, and Nathan Pearlman

PENNIE PEARLMAN 

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PEARLMAN, Pennie, 69, died peacefully September 26, 2011, at her home in Tampa, surrounded by her loving family and friends. Although she did not get to live to the fullness of her years, she had a very full life. 

She was born and raised in Chattanooga Tenn., the first of three children of Isadore and Anne Richelson, followed by Alan and Myra. For all of her time in Chattanooga, she was a member of B'nai Zion Congregation, a conservative synagogue. Her identity was always centered in Judaism for her whole life. 

Her parents worked hard to provide their children with a better quality life than they had. She attended City High School and graduated in 1960. 

She attended Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., until she married Nathan Pearlman in 1962. Together they built a life in Chattanooga, starting a family with three boys, Brian, Keith and David. She was a devoted Mother raising her children with love and respect. Once she felt it wouldn't detract from her responsibilities as a mother, she went back to school and completed her courses to become a teacher in 1982. 

She began her very successful teaching career in Catoosa County, Ga. She stayed there until the family temporarilty moved to Charlottsville, Va., in 1987, where she taught as well. Upon their return to Chattanooga, she began teaching at Rinngold Middle School where she would stay for the next 17 years. 

Although she never had any daughters, she was always known to say that she knew her three boys would bring her three fine daughters- in-law. "It turned out that she was right as Julie, Ellen and Deborah joined our family through the years." She loved them as if they were her own daughters and they did the same. 

She was incredibly blessed with six grandchildren, Erin and Adam, from the Brian and Julie clan; Katie and Jackson, from the Keith and Ellen clan; and Noah and Evan, from the David and Deborah clan. When the first grandchild, Erin was born, Pennie decided that she wanted to be called "Pennie Mom," a name that became a term of endearment beyond the reach of her family. As is the case with grand-children, they quickly became the center of her universe. 

"Pennie Mom" was a very involved grandmother. She would take care of her grand-children whenever asked, for however long she was asked, and when she took care of them she really took care of them. She was engaged in their world and not a spectator from the sidelines. 

In 2003, the family was devastated to learn of her diagnosis of breast cancer. Pennie took to the fight like a champion and it seemed that she had beat the cancer back by the time her final grandchild, Evan, arrived in 2004. 

She divorced Nathan in 1996 after 35 years. Although the marriage did not last, it was certainly successful. Together they did a wonderful job raising their children and even after their divorce, they worked very hard to make sure that their relationship remained friendly and open. This allowed the family to continue to be together for any occasion and should serve as the model for a post-divorce relationship. 

"Pennie Mom" moved to Tampa in 2006 to be closer to her children and grand-children. She began teaching fourth grade that year at Westchase Elementary where, as was always the case, she made very quick friends. She missed her world in Chattanooga where she had spent her whole life, but was thrilled with the new life she had built in Tampa with her family and new friends. 

In Tampa, she joined Congregation Kol Ami in Carrollwood where she once again made deep friendships over a very short period of time. 

She finally retired from teaching at the end of the school year in 2010. She was so excited to begin a new journey. 

Life can be so very cruel however, as her breast cancer came back in September of 2010. This time, it was not a winnable fight, but that did not stop her from not only fighting, but insisting that her life continue. 

In May of 2011, with her three sons, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of traveling to the Jewish homeland, Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. The two-week trip was indescribable. It was truly the time of her life. 

Even upon her return, when the cancer began to win, her spirit and courage to continue the fight and to continue to live was never diminished. 

She so wanted to live to see her third grandchild, Katie, become a Bat Mitzvah this December, but this was simply not to be. 

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today, Tuesday, at Congregation Kol Ami, 3919 Moran Road, Tampa, with Rabbi Robert Judd and Cantor Jodi Sered-Lever officiating. Interment will be follow at 3:30 p.m. at Gan Shalom Cemetery (located just east of Livingston Ave. on County Line Road). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Congregation Kol Ami in Tampa; and/or B'nai Zion Congregation in Chattanooga, Tenn. 

Condolences may be expressed online at segalfuneralhome.com. "She never knew a stranger. On the airplane, in line at the grocery store, wherever you were, if she was nearby, she would try her best to engage those around her. She was a loving, friendly warm lady with a tremendous heart. Those that were fortunate to know her will attest to this. Those that did not know her, will never know what they missed. This was Pennie Pearlman, our teacher, friend, colleague, Aunt, niece, cousin, wife, daughter, sister, mother, and really beyond all else, our Pennie Mom!"