Obituary of Lenora N. Rosen

Obituary of Lenora Rosen – 05/17/38 – 09/02/18
Lenora Rosen (nee Como), age 80, passed away of liver cancer at Calvary Hospital
Hospice in the Bronx. She was the devoted wife of the late Bernard Rosen for 49 years;
loving mother of Cheri Rosen and David Rosen and his husband Russell Lehrer; dear
Sister of Paul Como and his wife Sondra Como; Aunt to Jennifer, Michael, Vicki and
Robin; Great Aunt to Ryan, Alessandra, Sarah, and Hannah. She is also survived by
many wonderful cousins and their children and grandchildren.
Lenora was born in Brooklyn in 1938 and attended St. Brendan Catholic High School.
She went on to major in history at Brooklyn College. She was a member of the Newman
Club. She was the first woman in her family to go to college as well as attain a Masters
Degree. Her love of history, archeology, and education led to her 33 year career as a
Social Studies teacher with the New York City Board of Education. Lenora was hired to
teach 8 th grade Social Studies at Junior High School 239 in Coney Island Brooklyn.
Eventually it would become a Magnate School for the Gifted and Talented. She always
supported the school by attending musical concerts and drama productions. She was
known for her essay tests and reports and it was also known to all students that “Unless
you are art talent, you may not hand draw on the cover sheet!!” Her time there led to
numerous friendships that continued on well past her retirement.
Lenora loved to travel. With friends, her husband and family she explored this continent
and parts of the world. She also loved 50s music, Motown, Symphonies, Opera,
Broadway musicals and was a patron of the Staten Island theatre community. Lenora was
deeply committed to civil rights. In the 60s she housed people going to Martin Luther
King Jr.’s civil rights marches. She initiated impressive black history and equal rights
units in her classroom using fact based documents that the textbooks were missing. She
also enjoyed engaging in political discussions with her friends.
Lenora loved to read, especially mystery novels, Clan of the Cave Bear, and Outlander!
She bowled on a league for many years. She completed the New York Times crossword
puzzle every week. She enjoyed watching TV and old movies. She was a fan of
M*A*S*H, Star Trek, Murder She Wrote, Barney Miller and those sappy Hallmark
Channel Christmas movies!
Lenora loved Christmas. She would fill every corner of the house with Christmas cheer,
wrote out her Christmas cards in August, and was especially proud of her Holy Family
and ornaments given and collected from all over the world (especially the cow named I-
Lean). Lenora never forgot to send a card for a birthday, anniversary or holiday. She was
super organized and the “Queen of Snail Mail”. She was a great cook, especially her
Italian gravy (no, sauce!) and you always knew when dinner was done – the smoke
detector would call you to the table (she liked things well done). She loved coffee, Diet
Coke, Lemon Oreos, Mounds and Entenmanns’s. Lenora loved dogs (and her 2 cats, Pet
and Twin).
….and of course…. she loved her NEW YORK YANKEES!!

Lenora was also selfless. She cared for her ailing Aunt and Mother, while raising her
family, and dedicated the last 14 years of her life to the care of her disabled Husband and
Daughter at home. She was all about responsibility, self sacrifice, loyalty and family.
She was loved and will be missed dearly.
In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations made to her favorite place to
visit on Staten Island, the Chinese Scholars Garden at Snug Harbor Cultural Center.
Donations can be made at www. Snug-harbor.org/support/donate.