Roberta Grinstein 1939-2021

Bobbi, born May 22, 1939, in Youngstown, lived a happy and wonderful life. She grew up on the North Side with her parents, Nelson (Pete) and Mildred Spero Mendelson, her brother, Peter and their extended family. After graduating from The Rayen School, she studied at the University of Wisconsin where she met the love of her life, Peter Grinstein. Bobbi and Peter married in 1959 and raised their two children, Jeffrey and Wendy.

Bobbi was passionate about helping others and throughout her life she was active in several service organizations. As a dedicated volunteer, she led the Russian Resettlement effort through Jewish Family Services. Bobbi was deeply involved with the Jewish Community Center and sat on many committees of the Jewish Federation. Bobbi was active in CISV (Children’s International Summer Villages) for more than 50 years, fostering world peace through global friendship and paving the way for her children and grandchildren to travel the world. Bobbi, with her dear friend Leslie Kiske, was a founding member of the English Center where she taught English as a second language to hundreds of immigrants from all over the globe.

Bobbi never passed up an opportunity to play canasta, bridge, or mah jong with her friends, but Peter was the love of her life. They spent 62 years together traveling the world, raising their family, hosting fabulous parties and being the center of the extended family for holidays. Bobbi loved to cook and dote on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who affectionately called her “Baba.”

Bobbi will be missed by her brother and sister-in-law, Peter and Lynn Mendelson; her children, Jeffrey and Deborah Grinstein, and Wendy and Thomas Persson; grandchildren, Sarah and David Wilschek, Lauren and Brian Goldman, Andrew Grinstein (and fiancee, Cori Zack), Jessica, Daniel and Noah Persson; and her great-grandchildren, Jacob and Shayna Wilschek and Miles and Zev Goldman.

A service will be held graveside in the Rodef Sholom section of Tod Homestead Cemetery, 2200 Belmont Ave., Youngstown, today, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, at 2 p.m.

Following the service, Bobbi’s family will welcome well-wishers at the home of Jeff and Debbi in Liberty from 7 to 9 p.m.

The family will sit shiva at the home of Jeff and Debbi, on Wednesday Oct. 20, 2021, and Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, from 7 to 9 p.m.

The family requests contributions, in memory of Bobbi, be made to the English Center of Youngstown, P.O. Box 14219, Poland, OH 44514.

Friends and family may view this obituary and share memories and their condolences at http://www.shriverallisoncourtleyfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are being handled by The Shriver-Allison-Courtley-Weller-King Funeral Home.

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