Rochelle King, 77, was friendly to all and a big Phillies fan
She enjoyed playing cards and mahjong, and shopping, and she loved attending services at her synagogue, Ohev Shalom.
- Rochelle King
- 77 years old
- Lived in Warminster
- She was the “ultimate mother and grandmother”
Rochelle Simon Blau King was “the ultimate mother and grandmother,” someone who worried about her family as well as people she had just met and was friendly to all.
“She was a worrywart, always worried,” said grandson Ross Weissman. “Even if she met you for the first time and you told her someone wasn’t feeling great, for the rest of the day she’d be calling my mom, ‘Do you know if whoever he was talking about is doing all right?’
“She was just the most personable. She really wanted the best for anyone she crossed paths with, and she cared very much for our family.”
Mrs. King, 77, of Warminster, died Wednesday, April 15 at Abington Hospital-Jefferson Health of complications from the coronavirus.
Mrs. King grew up near Washington Square and graduated from South Philadelphia High School. She worked as a receptionist for an allergist. Her grandson said one of her main interests was following the Phillies.
“She was a die-hard Phillies fan,” he said. “She was recording every game. If she was missing the game, she didn’t want to hear anything about it until she could get home and watch it. She loved taking me to Phillies games.”
Her synagogue, Ohev Shalom, was important to Mrs. King.
Weissman said he and his sister used to get together with their grandmother every Tuesday, the day their mother had to work late.
“We would be with her from the end of school until 8 o’clock that night, take us to McDonald’s, down to the pool and play shuffleboard and ping-pong, whatever we could do,” he said.
He said his grandmother would make a special dessert when the family went to her place for dinner.
“She used to make this strawberry cream dessert, like a strawberry frozen cream,” he said. “At first, I would eat all of it, and she’d say, ‘I’m making it just for you.’ Then everyone started to eat it, and they thought it was amazing. That was the one thing food-wise she’ll always be tied with.”
Mrs. King’s other hobbies were playing cards and mah-jongg, and shopping. She loved attending services at her synagogue, Ohev Shalom.
She is survived by her husband, Gordon King; daughter Terri Weissman; son Andy Blau; 10 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Herbert Blau.
— Joe Juliano, jjuliano@inquirer.com