Joyce Schwartzberg
Joyce Freed Schwartzberg, 72, passed away Nov. 2, 2024, in The Villages, Florida. Joyce was born in Dallas on March 7, 1952, to Ida and Bernard Freed. She graduated from Hillcrest High School and attended The University of Texas at Austin, where she met her husband, Sam Schwartzberg. She then transferred to The University of Houston to be with her future husband, Sam. They were married on June 25, 1972. They lived in Houston for four years and she worked at Blum’s Furniture.
They moved back to Dallas in 1976. Joyce started to work at her family’s furniture store, Freed’s Furniture. She was an active life member of the National Council of Jewish Women and B’nai B’rith Women and a member of Hadassah. Her family, friends and fur babies were her world.
Joyce and Sam moved to The Villages, Florida, in June 2021, when Sam retired. They created a beautiful life filled with community and friends.
Joyce was predeceased by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Sam Schwartzberg; her children and their spouses, Todd (Brenda) Schwartzberg and Sharron (Ophir) Laizerovich; five grandchildren, Anya and Brianna Schwartzberg and Ben, Ethan and Shayna Laizerovich; and her brother and sister-in –law, Gary and Diane Freed.
Rabbi Nasanya Zakon conducted funeral services Nov. 6 at Restland Memorial Cemetery.
Please consider a contribution in Joyce’s memory to Operation Kindness or the charity of your choice.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Dallas Jewish Funerals.
Rose Watel
The family, the city of Dallas and the world lost a devoted shopper, drinker of skinny margaritas and chocolate lover. Rose Margaret Falk Watel died peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at the age of 86. Born on April 15, 1938, in Cushing, Oklahoma, Rose grew up on the grounds of her Hungarian parents’ motel in Corpus Christi. She attended The University of Texas at Austin and moved to Dallas, where she got married and had three children.
Rose was a passionately involved member of Temple Emanu-El. She sang in the choir, served on the Music Committee, became a board member, founded and ran a food pantry and was inducted into the Women of Reform Judaism Sisterhood’s Hall of Fame. She also traveled with Jewish groups to Cuba, Nicaragua and Israel.
An adult learner of Spanish, she fell madly in love with Mexico and made countless Mexican friends. Rose also helped run the transportation office for the Dallas women’s tennis tournament and remained close to some of the most famous players of the 1980s.
Rose’s most winning quality by far was her gift for friendship. She made friends of all ages and walks of life, from her electrician to her dentist to her manicurist. People loved her for her wicked sense of humor, her raucous spirit of fun, her flirting, her bawdy remarks and her thoughtful gift-giving.
Rose was preceded in death by her parents, Frieda and Sam Falk; her beloved older sister, Edith Zinn; and her husband, Louis “Buddy” Watel. She is survived by her three children, Lauren K. Watel, Jeff Watel and Wendy Watel-Burno; her stepson, Craig Watel; her grandchildren, Paris Watel-Young and Quinn Burno; and her step-granddaughter, Halee Watel.
Please make any donations to Rabbi Stern’s Good Works Fund at Temple Emanu-El.
