Suki Lewin

Suki Lewin, longtime Princeton resident, passed away on January 17 from natural causes; close to her 92nd birthday.

She had a unique and colorful origin: she was born in Manhattan as a first generation American from Eastern European parents, but she was largely raised in the Panama Canal Zone, so she spoke English, Spanish, and Yiddish fluently. As a teenager she worked at a Jewish Culture secular socialist-leaning camp called Boiberik, located in Rhinebeck NY. This is where she met her future husband, Mort; all four of her children were campers/employees at Boiberik as well.

Her husband was still an undergrad in the mid 1950s when she first came to Princeton. During her earlier days in town, Suki raised her two older children and formed lifelong friendships at the Princeton University’s Butler Tract on South Harrison Street. She was fond of recounting a conversation she overheard of 3-year-olds seated on the porch. “Who is the boss of everything?” one asked. One little boy answered, “My mom and dad.” “No,” another offered, “God is the boss of everything.” Still a third differed, “No, the university is the boss of everything.”

As a young mother, Suki’s family lived on Jefferson Road near Wiggins Street before moving to Deer Path. Suki worked for many years with the Princeton real estate broker Adlerman & Click. She became enamored with that business, and changed family residences regularly, always in the Princeton area. She joked that she never had to do serious housecleaning – whenever the house got too dirty, the family would just move.

In the 1960s Suki took charge of annual art shows at the Princeton Jewish Center through B’nai Brith. In this capacity she befriended local legendary artists including Rex Gorleigh, Gregorio Prestopino, and Stefan Martin. This experience led to a friendship and business partnership with Princeton’s Sue Abrams. They started a gallery on Kingston’s Main Street dubbed Susuki. They embarked on a global buying trip which included Haiti and nourished her love for primitive art. Her signature pitch to browsing customers at the gallery was “You have very good taste!”

To her children at least, it seemed like everyone in town knew Suki. Regularly in the 1970s they would shop on Nassau Street and ask establishments such as the Army Navy store, or Zinder’s, to “put it on Suki’s tab,” and all the storekeepers were happy to comply. In the ’80s and ’90s, she had several office assistant jobs, culminating in her favorite at the Institute for Advanced Study.

After retiring, she enjoyed visiting Florida, playing bridge, and daily long walks. In her later years she suffered from cognitive decline. Despite this burden, Suki remained open and warm, and was beloved by those who cared for her. Although her brain was impaired, one friend suggested, her heart remained fully functional. She maintained her positive outlook until the end, smiling even when it was difficult to speak.

She was predeceased by her husband Mort in 2013, and is survived by her children Cherie Maharam (Stanley), Brandon Lewin, Julie Barudin Cole (Butch), and Gene Lewin (Suzanne Aptman), as well as daughter-in-law Miki Mendelsohn and son-in-law Guy Barudin. She also leaves eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Suki taught her children to be kind; she imparted her love of nature and animals, and instilled a primary value from an early age to be generous and help others. She had a talent for writing and was a voracious reader. Mostly she was a true character – with unique style (often thrift–store bought and artfully put together), a buoyant sense of humor, and a true passion for life.

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Dorothy Anne Metzger Walker

Our dear mother, Dorothy Anne Metzger Walker, passed away on January 26, 2024 at the age of 82. Dorothy was born in Philadelphia in 1941. She studied chemistry at Barnard College and received her PhD in organic chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University. She loved animals and was a lifelong learner. 

She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law Nicholas and Aino Walker; two daughters and a son-in-law Barbara Walker, Karen and Daryle Masters; and two grandchildren Michael and Clara Masters.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the MJ Murphy Funeral Home, Monmouth Junction, NJ.