Obituary of Marilyn L. Klass
Marilyn Levy Klass passed away peacefully on October 18, 2020. The second child of Edith and Abraham Levy, who emigrated from Europe after WWI, Marilyn was born in Utica, NY in 1933. She had four children from her first marriage (Dr. Harold Nozik) -- Steven, Sheldon, Karen, and Michael.
A graduate of the Faxton Hospital School of Nursing (part of Utica College of Syracuse University) in 1953, Marilyn worked actively as a nurse for over 40 years while raising her four children.
Ultimately, Marilyn became an occupational health nurse in charge of services for over 1,500 employees at Bausch and Lomb’s Frame Center in Rochester. Her compassion and expertise was evident to all those around her, and often formally recognized. She was named Occupational Health Nurse of the Year in 1988 by the Greater Rochester Association of Occupational Health Nurses.
Marilyn’s lifelong commitment to giving went far beyond nursing and homemaking alone. She was a lifetime member of Hadassah, in which she was active in fundraising for Jewish and humanitarian causes. Marilyn was co-president of her local Hadassah chapter and also served as vice president of education. Her generosity ranged from working for “Check it Out,” a program dedicated to teaching girls about breast cancer awareness, to volunteering for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, for which she was named a Volunteer of the Year from 2016 - 2017.
Marilyn had myriad personal passions, from traveling extensively with her husband David to regular games of bridge with her friends. She enjoyed parades and fireworks, and was a lifelong lover of pets, including her cats, Cleo and Percy.
Marilyn was predeceased by her beloved son, Michael Nozik, and her sister, Hilda Rothschild.
She is survived by her dear husband of 40 years, David Klass; her three children Steven (Debra), Sheldon (Lydia), and Karen Nozik; daughter-in-law Gabriella Nozik; three step-children Greg, Brian, and Scott (Dana) Klass; and grandchildren Alexander, Jaime, Jordan, Ethan, Matthew, Julie, Ben, and Josh.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, consider donating to the Mike Nozik Camp Seneca Lake Scholarship Fund.
Online: CLICK TO VISIT WEBSITE Click on the 'Ways to Give' bar at the top, select 'Donate to a Foundation Fund', select 'Foundation' to continue to the next page, and insert Mike Nozik Fund in the 'Name of the Foundation Fund' box.
By Mail: Checks can be made payable to The Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester (with Mike Nozik Fund in the Memo line) and mailed to The Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, Attn: Elana Pogal, 255 East Ave Suite 201, Rochester, 14604.
Because of the pandemic, the family will be holding a private funeral.
