With great sorrow, the Weingram family announces the passing of beloved mother and grandmother, Florence Roslyn Needle Weingram of West Lafayette. She died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 87.

Florence was a strong, independent, and resourceful woman who placed the needs and happiness of her family above her own. She epitomized modesty and derived great satisfaction from hard work and order, but she also had a sly wit, enjoyed games, and was a passionate Purdue basketball fan.

Born in New York City in 1935, Florence grew up in the community of Sea Gate. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Brooklyn College and a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology from Penn State. After starting work at a hospital in New Brunswick, NJ, Florence met and married mathematics professor Stephen Weingram. They settled in West Lafayette when Stephen joined the Math Department at Purdue.

Florence was a devoted mother of two sons, Howard and Seth. She instilled in them her reverence for honesty and hard work, and she reveled in their academic success.

Florence eventually returned to her career in speech pathology, working for many years at the Indiana Veterans’ Home.

Florence was also a mainstay of the Sons of Abraham Congregation and participated in Hadassah and the Sisterhood.

After retiring, she poured herself into learning more about Jewish law, ritual, and history. She also became an accomplished genealogical researcher, and published indexes and extracts of Polish-language vital records for towns in Poland’s Kielce and Radom governorates. In pursuit of this research, she taught herself to read Yiddish and Polish.

Florence’s reserves of strength and powerful sense of duty were evident throughout her life, but were perhaps most apparent after her husband was seriously injured in an accident in 2005. She cared for him for nearly a decade – managing his rehabilitation, scheduling frequent doctors’ appointments, and shouldering his daily needs. Her determination, devotion, and self-sacrifice inspired those around her.

Stephen passed away in 2014. Florence is survived by her sons and their families: Howard (wife Lauren, sons Adam, Isaac and Jacob) and Seth (wife Victoria, daughters Vivian and Caroline).

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Scleroderma Research Foundation or to the National Heart Association.