Memorials › Ethel Murry Lazar Cherniss

Ethel Murry Lazar Cherniss

27 Mar 1925 – 16 Aug 2012

Birth27 Mar 1925
Death16 Aug 2012
Added byBarbara Lehman on 08 Jul 2021
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229271930

Bio

Ethel Lazar Cherniss March 27, 1925 - August 16, 2012 Resident of San Leandro Ethel Lazar Cherniss, beloved wife of the late Irwin Cherniss, loving mother of six and grandmother of nine, died peacefully at home surrounded by her children, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 87. Born in Whiteville, NC, she spent most of her childhood on a farm in Florence, SC. She graduated from Florence High School in 1942. Ethel attended the University of South Carolina where she served as president of both the Delta Zeta Sorority and the campus YWCA. She graduated with a B.A. in Journalism in 1946. After graduation, she worked briefly as a copy editor for a local Florence radio station before moving to California in 1948. She began working as a sales clerk at The Emporium Department Store in San Francisco and rapidly advanced to become a Women's Sportswear buyer. During her eight years at The Emporium, she met her husband, Irwin "Irv" Cherniss who also worked as a buyer there. They were married on February 13, 1955 in San Francisco and moved to San Leandro in 1957 where they raised six children. In 1975, she returned to work in retail and in 1980 she began a new career at the Bank of America in San Leandro, where she worked until her retirement in 1990. After retirement, she and her husband Irwin traveled extensively. Ethel enjoyed attending the symphony, theater and ballet, and her hobbies included raising beautiful African violets, attending exercise classes with friends and caring for her cat. Ethel is survived by her five loving children: Anne (Jon) Cooke of San Ramon, David (Teri) Cherniss of Castro Valley, Mari (Alan) Anderson of Danville, William (Sammie) Cherniss of Castro Valley, and John Cherniss of San Diego. Also surviving are her nine grandchildren: Maggie and Natalie Cooke, Christopher, Kaitlyn, Kyle, Kevin, and Erin Cherniss, and Michael and Matthew Anderson. She is also survived by her sister Kathleen Baskin and her brother Julian Lazar of South Carolina and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Irwin and her daughter Susan Cherniss of Fremont. At Ethel's request, no services were held. Memorial donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders USA, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030 Published by Inside Bay Area News on Aug. 26, 2012.

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