Charlotte Fein, 86: Plainview Mom; Worked in Family Business

After raising her four children and working in the family business, Charlotte Blaustein Fein and her husband, Sidney, decided to go to college together.

From the time they met, the longtime Plainview residents were working as a team. They loved to dance and, when the time came to retire, they studied  together at Nassau County Community College.

Mrs. Fein died peacefully Monday at her home in Delray Beach, Fla. She was 86.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on April 30, 1926, she was the daughter of Lena and Max Blaustein. Charlotte worked in fashion merchandising for Ohrbach’s at Union Square in Manhattan, where "she met the love of her life," her late husband, Sidney Fein, said her granddaughter, Karen Fein.

"My bubbe loved to dance," said grandson Marc Fein. "Today, she's dancing in heaven with Poppi."

The couple were longtime Plainview residents. After raising their four children, Charlotte joined Sidney in running their children’s clothing store, the Lullaby Shop in East Meadow. The couple had eight grandchildren.

When the time came to sell the family business, Charlotte and Sidney enrolled at Nassau County Community College where Charlotte studied Psychology and English.

In 1988, the couple retired to Delray Beach, Fla., where Charlotte became a founding member of the Huntington Pointe Chapter of the Pap Corp (Champions of Cancer Research.)

For years, she helped orchestrate many social and fund-raising events on behalf of the charity.  She also provided support to individuals and family members faced with a cancer diagnosis and helped them find care and treatment, Karen Fein said. 

Charlotte was an active member of her synagogue, Temple Emeth, in Delray Beach. She volunteered in the gift shop and as a Shabbat greeter and crocheted hundreds of yarmulkes for various synagogue functions. 

Charlotte is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Susan Blaustein, of Queens, N.Y.; her son and daughter-in-law, Scott Fein and Pat Martinelli, of East Greenbush, N.Y.; her daughter and son-in-law, Merideth and Robert Smykowski, of Poway, Cal.; and her daughter-in-law, Nikki Fein, of Bridgeville, Pa.

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In addition to her husband, Sidney, Charlotte was predeceased by her son, Warren Fein. Charlotte is also survived by eight grandchildren – Lauren Smykowski, Bryanna Smykowski, David Smykowski, Michael Smykowski, Jourdan Chahine, Alexa Fein, Karen Fein and Marc Fein. 

Services will be held at Beth Israel Memorial Chapel, 5808 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 28. Internment will follow in the Eternal Light Memorial Gardens in Boynton Beach. 

The family will observe Shiva at the residence of Scott Fein and Pat Martinelli, 21 Budd Lane, East Greenbush, N.Y. on Sunday, Dec. 30, from 2-5 p.m.

For those who wish, contributions may be made to Huntington Pointe Chapter of the Pap Corp at 6411 Mill Pointe Circle, Delray Beach, Fla., 33484 or to Temple Emeth, 57-80 Atlantic Ave Del Ray Beach, Fla. 33484.

Plainview Patch provides free obituaries for its readers. Simply contact Editor Joe Dowd with information about your loved one at joe.dowd@patch.com

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