Obituary: Betty Schiff

Betty Schiff, 95, of Longboat Key, died Sept. 12.

Born Feb. 11, 1919, in Wilmington, Del., Mrs. Schiff graduated from the Friends School of Wilmington and attended the University of Pennsylvania. She married Herbert Schiff in 1938, in Columbus, Ohio, where the couple raised their three daughters.

Mrs. Schiff was active in the Columbus Jewish community and a member of the Winding Hollow Country Club, a club champion golfer and bridge player. In the early 1970s, the Schiffs purchased a home on Longboat Key and spent the winters there.

After Mr. Schiff’s death in 2002, Mrs. Schiff continued his legacy of philanthropy, including serving on the board of the American Jewish Committee in Sarasota. She served on numerous other boards and committees, supporting causes such as ORT, Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women, Wexner Heritage Village auxiliary, the Jewish Center of Columbus, Brandeis University Women, Technion, Temple Israel in Columbus and Temple Beth Israel.

She endowed a Lion of Judah in both Sarasota and Columbus and was the recipient of the National Lion of Judah Kipnis/Wilson/Friedland Award for extensive volunteer and philanthropic achievement. The Schiffs established two endowment funds at Temple Israel in Columbus.

Mrs. Schiff was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert; daughter, Patricia Hershorin; and grandson. She is survived by her daughters, Suzanne Gallant and Jane Schiff; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Services were held at Temple Israel, in Columbus. Donations can be made to the Betty and Herbert Schiff Fund at the Columbus Jewish Foundation, 1175 College Ave., Columbus, OH 43209 or columbusjewishfoundation.org.