Virginia Tishman Meyerson and her late husband, George
By Jane Smith
BOCA RATON — Arts lover and avid reader of British literature, Virginia Tishman Meyerson died Jan. 26 at her home.
She was 89 and died from complications of cancer, her passing eased by hospice care, her daughter, Deane Stepansky, said.
Mrs. Meyerson was a longtime resident of Boca Raton, moving here in 1977 with her late husband, George.
She was always interested in the arts, Stepansky said. Mrs. Meyerson contacted the Boca Raton Museum of Art and became a docent. Her wanting to help others led her to the Boca Raton Community Hospital, where she volunteered and served as an officer in the Debbie-Rand Memorial Service League.
She also was a president of the Florida chapter of the Crone’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Her late son, David Rand Jr., had contracted colitis at age 11 and ended up dying from its complications, Stepansky said.
At the foundation, Mrs. Meyerson was remembered for her positive attitude, commitment to the organization and inclusiveness in her 20 years of volunteering, said Ellen Shapiro, also a past-president. The Meyersons were humanitarian honorees, a foundation designation for those who give of their time and finances to the group.
Mrs. Meyerson, known as Grammy to Stepansky’s sons, had a “beatific smile” when she would come and spend time with them in the Northeast.
She had the ability to make children feel special. Stepansky recalled when she was in the second grade in New York City and her mom was the class mother. “She organized monthly birthday parties for the kids with birthdays in that month,” Stepansky said.
Mrs. Meyerson loved “reading about the kings and queens of England,” and that’s how she met her second husband. He ran a local bookstore in New York City, Stepansky said.
Mrs. Meyerson was the granddaughter of Julius Tishman, founder of the Tishman Construction Company in 1898; daughter of David and Ann Tishman; and sister of Robert Tishman and Alan Tishman.
Born in New York City, Ginny, as she was known, studied at Horace Mann School and received her bachelor of arts in architecture and urban planning from Bennington College in 1946.
She was the beloved mother of her son, the late David Rand Jr., and daughters, Deane Stepansky (Paul) and Alison Rand, and cherished grandmother of Michael Stepansky (Jane Kohuth) and Jonathan Stepansky.
Survivors also include stepsons Richard Meyerson (Linda) and Bruce Meyerson (Francine), stepdaughter Lynn Funk (Laird), and four step-grandchildren.
Instead of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to Susan G. Komen for the Cure (ww5.komen.org) or Hospice by the Sea, 1531 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486.
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