Annette Biberman, librarian and painter
At 92, Annette Bell Biberman's fondest wish was to vote in the upcoming presidential election for Hillary Clinton. "She couldn't believe the inflammatory language being used," said daughter Nancy. "Somebody of her generation knew what the consequences of incendiary speech was. She was furious."
At 92, Annette Bell Biberman's fondest wish was to vote in the upcoming presidential election for Hillary Clinton.
"She couldn't believe the inflammatory language being used," said daughter Nancy. "Somebody of her generation knew what the consequences of incendiary speech was. She was furious."
Mrs. Biberman was an active resident of the Watermark at Logan Square in Philadelphia - an "assisted living activist," her daughter called her - but she suffered a stroke earlier in the month and died on Monday, Oct. 17, at her daughter's home in New York City.
Mrs. Biberman was a librarian, a painter, and an excellent cook. But this election season brought out her defining characteristic: She was a feisty Jewish woman who never minced words, according to her daughter, who has saved voice messages of her mother's dismay over what was being said in the campaign.
"She was so happy at the idea of being able to vote for a woman president," said Nancy Biberman. "She knew Pennsylvania was an important state, and she wanted to be one of the voters in Pennsylvania who dealt [Donald Trump] a decisive blow."
Mrs. Biberman grew up in Strawberry Mansion, graduated from Gratz High School in 1940 and from Temple University in 1944, and then earned a master's degree in library science from Drexel University.
She married her husband, David, in 1944 - two days before D-Day and his deployment to the South Pacific. After raising two daughters in North Philadelphia and Wynnewood, she went to work at Overbrook High School in the mid-1960s and stayed for 20 years.
"She loved it, and they loved her," said her daughter.
Mrs. Biberman made the library come alive for students, decorating it with posters, political cartoons, and newspaper headlines, and ran an annual art fair.
"It was a refuge for students," her daughter said.
At the Watermark, where she moved four years ago, Mrs. Biberman was active in the Shakespeare and French Clubs and was a member of Grannies for Peace.
Going to the polls on Nov. 8 will be very emotional, her daughter said. She never thought to get her mother an early voting ballot since she was so healthy - "sharp as a tack," she said.
"I wish she lived to see it," she said of the possibility that the country will elect its first woman president.
Besides her daughter, Mrs. Biberman is survived by another daughter, Dana; four grandchildren, and a great-grandson.
Services were private.
The family asks that in her memory, every eligible voter go to the polls on Election Day.
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