Melba Freed Wallack

Melba Freed Wallack, 92, of Center for Extended Care, 150 University Drive and formerly of San Diego, passed away peacefully on March 3, after a long, enriched and well-lived life.

She was born in Chicago, Ill., on April 22, 1916 to Irving and Bessie (Alexandrovich) Freed, newly arrived Jewish immigrants from Lithuanian, the "old country," along with the waves of millions who came to the Americas in search of a better life. Melba was educated in the Chicago public schools and graduated from Calumet High School in 1933 with high honors. Her love of music began at an early age when she was inspired by a class trip to hear the Chicago Symphony. She began playing the violin at the age of 6 and continued for the next 70 years in orchestras and various ensembles, showing a passion and natural talent. She had a lifelong love of music, theatre and the arts, and was always interested in the lives of great people.

Always concerned about the plight of people less fortunate than herself, she was involved with many organizations that worked for social justice, including the NAACP, SPLC, League of Women Voters, Anti-Defamation League, ACLU, WGBY, The National Yiddish Book Center and others. She was also a devoted supporter of public radio and television, and she was an avid scrabble player.

A lifelong Democrat, she was ecstatic with the election of Barack Obama. She was a great appreciator of Jewish culture - cuisine, music, art and literature. While maintaining her cultural links to Judaism, Melba was a lifelong agnostic. In Western Mass she was the most senior member of the Havurah Haruach, where she enjoyed celebrating the Jewish holidays with her chaverim.

She married her beloved husband, Albert Wallack, a man of great gentleness and humanity, on Feb. 11, 1945. They raised their family on the South Side of Chicago (Obama's old neighborhood). They continued to reside there until Al's retirement in 1972 when they moved to San Diego, where they spent 28 years soaking up the sun and enjoying life to the fullest. Melba continued her work with worthy organizations, and they were both involved with volunteer work in the community and were also pioneers in recycling. Melba was always striving to make the world a better place, and only a month ago, had knit a baby hat for newborns overseas. Melba will be remembered as a loving, friendly and caring person who had a wonderful sense of humor and a remarkable zest for life.

In time, their family grew to include grandchildren, and they would welcome them to their comfortable home and indulge them with trips to Disneyland and other attractions in San Diego. "Every day is a beautiful day," they would often say, and one of the mottoes they always lived by was "make the best of it." Melba prided herself on being a homemaker, wife and mother. She kept a beautiful home and had wonderful organizational skills. When Albert passed away in 2000 after 55 years of marriage, Melba came to live in Western Mass to be near her children. She resided at Windfield Apartments until health issues necessitated moving into a nursing home.

Melba was predeceased by her husband, Albert, and her brother George, who died in World War II. Melba is survived by her dear sister, Jeanne Buckner; her beloved brother Shervin Freed and wife Adele; her devoted daughter, Linda Wallack; caring son, Daniel Wallack and wife Joan; six grandchildren, Heather, David, Jason, Elena, Shannon and Russell; and four great-grandchildren, Dennis, Evan, Aria and Brianna, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.   --- Linda Wallack