Obituary ~ Anita Goldstein Handler (1927-2024)

Anita Handler, photo taken by her son, Steven

HANDLER, ANITA (GOLDSTEIN) - age 97, passed away on September 11 at home in Northfield, New Jersey. Anita was born in Manhattan, New York, on February 23, 1927. Her family moved to Woodbine, Cape May County, New Jersey, when she was a baby. After graduating from Millville High School, she worked as a bookkeeper and dry cleaner in Woodbine.

In 1951, she went to a dance at the Jewish Community Center in Atlantic City and it was there that she met the love of her life, Harry Handler. They were married on January 27, 1952, at the brand-new Breakers Hotel in Atlantic City.

As was customary in Anita's generation, she became a homemaker. Taking care of her four boys was the joy of her life. She had plenty of help raising the boys: Bubbie Rose and Pop-Pop Morris sold their house in Woodbine and moved into their daughter's house in Ventnor, New Jersey.

After her children were grown, she worked for the State of New Jersey at the Unemployment Office in Atlantic City. She had in abundance what was needed: a love for her fellow human being and extraordinary compassion. Anita knew the complicated system well and told the applicants in simple, step-by-step terms how to navigate the frustrating red tape of government.

Anita was predeceased by her parents Morris and Rose Goldstein, husband Harry Handler (64 years married), brother Stanley Goldstein, and sister-in-law Betty Goldstein.

Surviving are sons Joseph Handler (Jodi), Mark Handler (Linda), Alan Handler (Michelle), Steven Handler (Elizabeth); grandchildren Melanie Handler Caruso (Chris), Kenneth Handler (Sarah), Rachel Handler (Grant), Jesse Handler (Lea), Daniel Handler, David Handler, Matthew Handler (Allie); and two great grandchildren.

Graveside services were held on September 12 at the Woodbine Brotherhood Cemetery, in Woodbine, New Jersey.

Stories From the 1950 Census ~ Uncle Stanley in Philadelphia

At first, we didn't know exactly where Uncle Stanley lived when the 1950 federal census enumeration took place. It could have been Philadelphia or New Jersey.

Stanley's sister, my mother-in-law, was able to remember the street name which helped me identify the enumeration district where I paged through looking for her brother.

Stanley and his English bride, Betty, were living at 26 Robinson Street, Philadelphia, next to a cousin of his mother's, Albert Nappen. 

Albert's father was Barnett Napadensky and his mother was Hannah Segal. I have shared their family information from earlier censuses at Napadensky Family becomes Nappen Family.

Stanley served in WWII in Europe and met his wife, Betty, while recovering in England from injuries. They married in England in December 1945.

Stories From the Census ~ Bubbie Lena in 1950

I have not had any luck finding my late father-in-law, Harry Handler, in the 1950 census. It is believed that he had moved from his hometown of Akron, Ohio, to live in the Atlantic City, New Jersey, area where his oldest brother, Arthur had moved in the late 1930s. But I can't find Uncle Arthur and his family either.

In 1940, Harry was living with his parents and other siblings in Akron, and Arthur, his wife, and two daughters, were living in Ventnor, New Jersey.

I thought perhaps Harry had returned to Akron, and I easily found Harry's mother, known to my husband as Bubbie Lena, living, as expected, at 557 Rhodes Avenue, in Akron. Harry was not living with her.

1950 U.S. census, Summit County, Ohio, Akron, ED 89-141, sheet 8, line 3, household 76 (Lena Handler); U.S. National Archives, 1950 Census (https://1950census.archives.gov/search/).

Lena lived in apartment 2 in this building. She was a 59-year-old Hungarian-born widow and a naturalized citizen. The "H" in column 15, asking what she did in the past week, indicated that she was keeping house.

She was one of five on the page asked the supplemental questions, which in her case, provided some interesting information.

Stories From the Census ~ One Goldstein Family in 1950

My husband's mother and grandparents were relatively easy to find in the recently-released 1950 U.S. census because I knew exactly where they lived: Woodbine, Cape May County, New Jersey.

They had been living there since just before 1930 and I have previously shared this family's 1930 and 1940 census records.

The Goldstein family lived at 517 Jackson Avenue in Woodbine. Morris was 53 years old, born in Romania and was a naturalized citizen. His occupation was "Examining Coats" at a Mens Garment Factory.  He spent 40 hours working during the prior week.

Rose, age 48 and born in New Jersey, reported that in the last week, most of her work was "H" indicating housekeeping. The following columns tell us that she didn't work outside the home in the prior week, but she was looking for work and her usual occupation was "Trims hats" in a Hat Factory.

23-year-old Anita, born in New York, had worked 40 hours the previous week as a Bookkeeper in a Hat Factory, which is a story she has shared with the family.

1950 U.S. census, Cape May County, New Jersey, Woodbine, ED 5-49, sheet 25, lines 11-13, household 223 (Morris Goldstein family); U.S. National Archives, 1950 Census (https://1950census.archives.gov/search/).

You might notice numerical codes written in on the right-hand-columns. These were added later. The Steve Morse website has a page, Deciphering Occupation Codes, which can help you determine what these numbers mean. (If the occupation or industry is illegible, this tactic might help you identify what your relative did for work!) 

For both Rose and Morris:

Occupation Code of 690 represented "Operatives and kindred workers (n.e.c.)" [not elsewhere classified]

Industry Code of 448 represented "Apparel and accessories"

Class Code of 1 represented "Working for private employer (P)"

For Anita, who worked as a Bookkeeper in a Hat Factory, her Occupation Code of 310 represented "Bookkeepers".

Rose was asked additional sample questions. As the third respondent on this page to be asked the supplemental questions, hers are the third response below. She reported that both her parents were born in Russia and that she completed 8th grade.

Rose worked 15 weeks during 1949 and made $500. In response to "how much money did he receive from interest, dividends, veteran's allowances, pensions, rents or other income," it looks like she reported something, then reported "None." However, I believe that Rose owned additional property in Woodbine and collected rents. Perhaps she didn't want to share that information with the census taker.

In 1949, the relatives in this household earned $2,500 working for wages or salary. I'm sure it helped that Anita was working full-time.

Genealogy Blog as ... Bait

We genealogy bloggers often talk about blogs being cousin bait, meaning that relatives (known and unknown) search their ancestors' names on the Internet and our blog posts appear in the search results. They connect with the blogger and family history information is excitedly shared.

Well, blogs can be "bait" for those who may not be relatives but may have something of interest to share with us.

Years ago, I blogged about my husband's great-uncle Sam Handler, who ran several businesses in Cleveland, Ohio, over the years. At Workday Wednesday ~ Sam Handler, I shared what I had found in census records and city directories: he had run two different beverage companies during his many years in Cleveland.

At A Second Cousin Contacted Me, I shared my excitement about having a second cousin of my husband find my blog post about his grandfather, Sam Handler.

Sam died in California after moving there with his daughter and son-in-law.

This week, I received a package (actually mailed to the business address of the local historical society where I volunteer) with a bottle in it.

The following photographs are courtesy of my husband (and his light box):