Frances Blatt
Frances Blatt of Dallas passed away at the age of 96 on Nov. 20, 2022.
She was born in Dallas June 10, 1926. Frances graduated from Juilliard with a bachelor’s degree in music. She was married to J. D. Blatt (z’’l) on May 28, 1950. After his passing in 1974, she found love again with Eugene Raboy (z’’l), with whom she spent 33 years.
Frances was a violinist in the Dallas Symphony and freelanced as well. She taught music and formed longstanding connections with her students. After the death of her husband, she had a second career as a commercial real estate agent.
Frances was in leadership positions with Dallas Chamber Music, the Dallas Symphony Guild and Temple Emanu-El. She also volunteered with the National Council of Jewish Women on programs to improve the lives of disadvantaged children.
She was passionate about music, travel, art and gardening, but Frances was especially devoted to her family and many friends.
She is survived by daughters Barbara Lowenstein and Sara Blatt, son-in-law David Lewis and grandchildren Jon and Joanna Lewis and Airen Lowenstein.
Linda Rome
Linda Rome passed away at sunrise on Dec. 7, 2022, after a brief illness. Born to Edythe and Ralph Pallin, raised in Chelsea, Massachusetts, she attended Chelsea High School. She continued her family’s tradition of nursing, graduating from Albert Einstein Northern Division School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1967. During her training, Linda met Richard Rome of Bridgeport, Connecticut, whom she married in December 1967. They were blessed with two daughters, Shari and Becca. After several years of nursing practice using increasing levels of nursing skills, she moved to Fort Worth in 1982. Although she earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work with Honors from Texas Christian University, she found her true love in the field of horse breeding and was able to bring her nursing skills to her animals’ veterinary needs. Linda established Willow Draw Arabians specializing in straight Egyptian Arabian horses and developed an international reputation as a breeder.
Linda met and married Don Wooldridge in 2012. Happily living on Don’s family farm in Itasca, Texas, they cared for many of her favorite animals, particularly her dogs. During those years, she brought her nursing skills to many who had traveled from afar under harsh circumstances in hopes of participating in the goodness of the United States.
She is survived by her daughters Shari Handler (Aaron), their children Bennett, Grace and Alexandra and Becca Msihid (Jerome) and their children Golda, Eidel and Levi; sister Francie; brother Jeffrey; husband Don Wooldridge; former husband Richard Rome; and all those whose lives she touched. She will be lovingly remembered for her zany sense of humor, her loyalty and her kindnesses to those in need.
Donations are encouraged to be made to the SPCA. She would be pleased to know that many have volunteered to be organ donors.
She will be missed dearly.