Obituary of Ilse Haber

Our beautiful and beloved Ilse/mom passed away peacefully on February 8, 2022 at 97 years young.  Ilse Haber was the loving and devoted Mother of Michael, Robbie, and Peter, and “Nana/Grandma” to Eric, Sara, Talia, and Aaron. Ilse was a truly loving and caring person, generous in spirit , with a wonderful sense of humor. She was a dedicated friend to many, and thoroughly enjoyed engaging in social gatherings and events, often expressing deep gratitude  for her extended group of family and friends. She was a fun loving grandmother who sincerely took the time, energy,  and interest in getting to know each of her grandchildren from birth into young adulthood. Ilse took great pleasure in playing the piano, and held a strong appreciation for music and dance throughout her life, in addition to her love for reading and travel.

Ilse was born on September 23, 1924 in Vienna, Austria to Saul and Nelly Wolf. Her adored older sister Litsy tragically died at the young age of 14. In 1938 during the Nazi occupation, Ilse was separated from her parents and sent to England on the Kindertransport to escape persecution and the tragedies of the war. Some of her fondest memories from her younger years were those in Stoke on Trent, England where she lived and worked with a group of close friends at a local candy factory.   She also spent time engaging with and helping to cheer up wounded soldiers as a volunteer at a nearby hospital.    

Ilse eventually reunited with her parents after leaving England and moving to Jersey City, then Queens, New York in 1952, where she met her husband to be, Sigfred (Fred) Haber. They soon settled and raised their 3 sons in Great Neck, NY.  Ilse became a single parent to her teenage boys in 1973, when Freddie passed away.

She spent many years working as an agent in the travel industry, where she seized the opportunity to travel the world,  one of her life’s passions.  After retiring,  Ilse relocated to Westchester, then Putnam County, New York, where she continued to enjoy quality time with family and close friends. She  spent several years volunteering at Northern Westchester Hospital, where she was highly regarded and befriended by her co-workers.

Ilse spent her last years at Waterview Nursing home in North Salem, NY, where she was lovingly cared for by a close and supportive staff.  While at Waterview, as a result of Ilse’s true resilience, strength, care and love she received, she fully recovered from a near death illness in 2020 due to the Covid virus.

Ilse will be remembered by her warm, loving, and deeply caring ways, which profoundly touched and impacted those in her life.  Ilse never lost her sense of humor even up till her final days. Our lives won’t be the same without her, but she will continue to shine brightly in our memories and in our hearts forevermore.