FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 27, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 47
Victoria’s
DIARY
Victoria
SCHNEPSYUNIS
vschneps@gmail.com
tweet me @vschneps
Life is a roller coaster
Life is like a roller coaster.
Mine has been fi lled
with great highs and lonely
lows.
Few people could console me
when I lost my daughter Lara
and sadness overwhelmed me
when I lost my beloved Nat
Bassen and then my precious
husband Stu. But somehow the
loss of Claire Shulman, my
friend of almost 50 years, leaves
a unique hole in my heart.
Each year, I take my six grandchildren
and my adult children
for an August getaway. I had
rented a house in Westhampton
back in January, never anticipating
COVID-19 would hit us. We
were all tested before we left for
the trip, and it brought me great
joy to stay together with my
family during a time when my
heart is broken.
Claire had a graveside
funeral and I was so
grateful to my son Josh,
who came with me
to provide a
shoulder to lean on. Everyone
attending — there was a 20-person
limit — respected social distancing
and wore masks, so I
was grateful to have someone to
really hug!
Th e funeral was held at
New Montefi ore Cemetery in
West Babylon on the border
of the Southern State Parkway.
Cemeteries are usually places of
silence and solemnity, but on the
day of the funeral, sirens roared
repeatedly and I felt the cars on
the parkway zooming right past
me. It was an intimate ceremony,
but everyone who spoke had
to scream to be heard.
We heard Claire’s son Larry,
a brilliant, accomplished,
world-recognized oncologist,
speak sweetly about his mom.
He had helped the palliative
doctor take over for the hospice
doctor to make sure Claire didn’t
feel any pain as she was leaving.
It’s hard to believe that
she was gone within
two weeks of her
diagnosis.
The small group
that had gathered
The laughter and love of
my family has helped me
get through the pain of
losing Claire.
around
Claire disbursed
after
the service, with her children
going home to Philadelphia
and Houston.
Alex Rosa, Claire’s decadeslong
chief of staff , and I had talked
with Claire’s children about
holding a celebration of her life
in a few weeks.
She and I began planning on
the way home from the small
yet intimate funeral and came
to a date of Sept. 3 from 6 to 8
p.m. See the information in our
Queens media to register for the
webinar of remembrance.
I drove back to my family at
our rented vacation home and
planning for Claire’s celebration
was a welcome distraction from
the pain of her loss. But nothing
beats the laughter and love
of family.
Th e house I rented has a pool
and aft er I returned from the
funeral, the kids all cried out
“come on, Grammy, get in the
pool,” and I did. To see them
splashing like fi sh in the water,
jumping off the diving board,
racing around the pool and giggling
along the way lightened
my heart.
As I was getting my “balance”
back, I received news that an
old friend and supporter lost
his battle with leukemia. Victor
Gartenstein built his empire
from his Sheepshead Bay,
Brooklyn, offi ce and was one of
my King of Kings. He personifi
ed a noble, caring, loving
family leader and friend.
His family’s words spoke
truly to the kind of man
he was: “Victor, the eternal
optimist, stayed
hopeful to the very end
of his life. He leaves this
Queen of Queens
I lost my Queen of Queens today
Slipped away when I wasn’t there
I still can’t sing her name out loud
I struggle through the tears
I’m a slow learner
So many have left my side
I don’t seem to see all the gifts they bring
Until after my tears are cried
Chorus
And I wonder where you are now
Can you float back to me on the wind
I’m thinking of you, you know that I love you
I dream that you’ve come home again
Your gifts keep on giving, though you’re done with living
We all have forever it seems
The day comes along, Ninety-four years are gone
Can’t slow time - not even for Queens
I’m a slow learner
Sometimes I feel like I’m blind
When the pages unfold, and my story is told
Will it read I was giving and kind
And I wonder where you are now
Can you float back to me on the wind
I’m thinking of you; you know that I love you
planet with more love than most
people will receive in 10 lifetimes.
Victor was a self-made man who
was passionate about life and
work. He was a true leader in
business and in life. He was quietly
charitable and generous in
every possible way. Each day he
woke up with childlike excitement
in his eyes. His energy and enthusiasm
By Susan Lee
Niece of Claire Shulman
were infectious … His loss
will leave a hole in our hearts but
his memories and legacy will live
on forever.”
I had been at the bottom of the
roller coaster of life aft er losing
Claire, only to soar aft er spending
time with my children — it
fi lled me with joy and happiness!
Th at is life!
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