Amy Schwartz

Amy Gershovitz Schwartz, daughter of Marcia Levine Gershovitz and Samuel David Gershovitz, died peacefully in her sleep just after midnight on July 5th, 2026. Born December 9, 1945 in Chicago, IL, and raised in Larchmont, NY, Amy was a graduate of Mamaroneck High School (1963), SUNY Cortland (1967) and the Columbia University New School of Social Work (1995). Throughout her life, she continued her father’s legacy of social work, helping people of all ages, teaching children in the 1960’s and 1970’s, becoming a gerontological social worker in the 1990’s, and finally becoming the Director of Social Services at Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale, NY. She loved her “oldies” and helping families navigate the oftentimes overwhelming world of elder care.

In a nutshell, Amy was a ball of sunshine, with the occasional thunder burst, and her optimism always carried her through. “I opened my eyes and that was a good start” she would reply when asked how she was on any given day. Amy was a self-admitted goofball, with a very silly, and sometimes dark sense of humor. A big fan of Monty Python, you could often hear her quoting lines from “The Holy Grail,” she had a special gift for accents, and a repertoire of hilarious faces. She was an avid crafter, always making something with her hands, whether it was custom painted Osh Kosh B’Gosh overalls at the Emelin Street Fair, Halloween costumes (including a pink Princess Leia robe) or knit blankets for a new baby. Her love for music and singing came from her parents and she passed it on to her girls. She often said that her family is related to George and Ira Gershwin, who changed their names from Gershovitz. 

Amy was a fierce Scrabble player from her teen years long into her battle with vascular dementia – she knew all the two-letter words and what to do with a Q if you don’t have a U. As such she was also a writer, keeping dozens of journals and publishing a volume of poems. She threw the best kids’ birthday parties, filled with silly games, ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins, and homemade decorations. She made the best double chocolate pie and the best noodle kugel. She hosted countless cocktail parties, Thanksgivings, Chanukahs, and BBQs, and did it all seamlessly. She attended all the dance recitals, football games, art fairs, and cheered us all on. She travelled the globe with her family; safari in Africa, cruising on the QE2, sunbathing in The Bahamas, but especially loved visiting Israel solo to see her brother, nieces, and nephews, never missing a wedding or new baby’s arrival.

Amy believed in the power of laughter (and was a graduate of The Laughter Academy), hugs, and a pan of freshly baked brownies. She never let a friend go hungry, playing house mom to many a stray teen back in the 1980’s, and always found an extra pillow for a sleepy head. She was the cool mom, if a bit corny. And then she was the cool Grandma with a basement full of toys and a pantry full of sweet treats. She supported each of her children in their endeavors and was always a soft place to fall. She lived life on her own terms, independently, until she couldn’t. Not to be deterred, Amy found love again at 79 at her assisted living community, proving the old adage “the heart wants what the heart wants.” Feisty till the end, Amy was “strong like bull” but sweet as sugar.

She was preceded in death by her brother Jonathan and sister Lucy. She is survived by her three children: Lysa Hoffman (Gary, deceased), Carolynn Schwartz (Thomas) and Samuel Schwartz (Priscille), and her three grandchildren, Léa, Ezekiel, and Arlo.

A private graveside ceremony will be held on Wednesday, July 8th, 2026, and a memorial party will be announced later this summer.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Guiding Eyes for the Blind or your local Boys and Girls Club in her memory.

To leave an online condolence please visit munsonloveterefuneralhome.com.