Roma Decalo's Obituary
Beloved mother, grandmother, sister and architect, Roma Decalo (86) died early in the morning of July 9, 2024 at Haven Hospice in Gainesville, Florida.
Roma was born at a time of tumult and loss—1938 Poland. A holocaust survivor, she lost her mother, Hannah, as a toddler and miraculously survived with her father, Ignacy Loewenthal (later Lewandowski). Together they walked and hitchhiked westward when the country’s borders were redrawn after the war. They found home again in Wroclaw, where she lived across from a playground and where a short walk along a forest river path led to her school. A childhood marked early with trauma and instability left its mark on her yet she struggled to forge a life of happiness and self-expression.
An accomplished artist, Roma created beautiful watercolor and multimedia paintings which hang in homes across the country. She enjoyed music, art, dancing and working out.
In her colorful life, Roma hiked Austrian mountains, explored Martinique’s volcano and wandered Israeli deserts, sharing her love of travel with her two children. For several years it seemed her smartphone existed sheerly to capture photos of flowers worldwide which she would then paint—then photos of her grandchildren proliferated. For Roma’s honeymoon, she visited Machu Picchu, and soon added Easter Island, Tibet, Capri and Venice to her list. She was fond of a dark Polish beer (rightly so), loved lunch dates with girlfriends, and baked up a storm of delicious desserts. Her matzo ball soup was a staple when her adult children visited. Roma’s little dog, Peanut, was the apple of her eye.
Roma loved fiercely and fought hard against the cancer that disrupted her life. She lost her husband of 49 years in 2022. She is survived by her two younger sisters, Ewa Lewandowska and Joanna Wegner, her daughter Ruth and son-in-law Chris Baum, her son Niv and daughter-in-law Shirley Hasson, and her beloved grandchildren, Ilana and Landon.
Graveside funeral services will be held Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 10am at B’nai Israel Cemetery. The family will receive friends during Shiva to be held at 11409 NW 8th Place on Thursday from 4-6pm. Shiva minyan at 6pm.
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