My mom, Luba Dreyer, died on June 11, 2003 of complications due to Myelodysplastic Syndrome at Sibley Hospital in Washington. While she died peacefully, her last few years had become increasingly more difficult and painful with the ravages of her disease, orthopedic problems, and the relentlessly deteriorating condition of my dad.
She spent much of her professional life as "chief financial officer" of Dad's music business. She was also an accomplished artist and spent many years as director of Touchstone Gallery in Washington.
She was passionate about books, ideas, and beauty. She was devoted to her book club of forty or so years. She was always ready to think about any topic. And she always had an opinion! Anything she touched, she made beautiful.
She was devoted to the Jewish people and to Jewish culture. Nevertheless, she was also an atheist. She taught by example that one can have a full and rich life without imagining a supreme being to thank or to blame for the accidents of life. I'm proud to say that, despite the bullets flying overhead near the end of her life, including a fatal blood disease, cancer, painful neuropathy, agonizing orthopedic problems, and the profound dementia of my dad, she remained an atheist in a foxhole.
Despite her full and active life, in many ways she lived for my dad, my sisters (Gabriela and Dena) and me, for which we are all exceedingly grateful.
She is buried at
Plot KD-18-203You may see signs to National Memorial Park; King David is the "Jewish ghetto" of National Memorial Park. (map)
King David Memorial Gardens
7482 Lee Highway, Falls Church VA
703-560-4400
Please send contributions in her name to NA'AMAT USA, the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation, Women's American ORT, Planned Parenthood, or any other charity you think she might have liked.
Jon Dreyer