DONNA LOU (RITZEN) GOLDSCHMIDT, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and elementary school teacher, passed away Thursday July 8, 2021, at St. Peter’s University Hospital. She was 65 years old.
Born in Philadelphia, PA on October 5, 1955 to Solomon and Bertha Ritzen, she lived in Philadelphia for 29 years until moving to New Jersey with her beloved husband Harvey. She and Harvey happily lived in Edison for 7 years and in East Brunswick for 29 years.
After graduating summa cum laude from Temple University with a degree in Special Education, she worked as a special education teacher in elementary schools, making a difference in the lives of her students for 14 years. While she worked at a number of schools in Philadelphia and New Jersey, the majority of her working career was spent at Central Elementary School in East Brunswick.
She will be remembered as a person who radiated kindness and empathy and who continuously put the needs and well-being of others before her own. She was always willing to lend a helping hand and only had positive things to say about others. Donna also faced Parkinson’s disease with unparalleled optimism, determination, and grace.
She loved spending time with her family, any type of live theatre (but particularly Broadway shows), talking to her friends on the phone, and playing board games with friends. Donna was also an active member of the East Brunswick Jewish Center, where she belonged to Sisterhood and Hadassah.
Donna is survived by her beloved husband of 37 years, Harvey; son, Scott and his wife, Jennifer, of Kensington, MD; daughter, Jaime of Edison, NJ, and two grandchildren, Kate and Lyla. She was predeceased by her parents, Solomon and Bertha Ritzen.
Services were held at East Brunswick Jewish Center and burial at Beth Abraham Cemetery in East Brunswick under the direction of MOUNT SINAI MEMORIAL CHAPELS, East Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to East Brunswick Jewish Center or the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
To leave a message of condolence, please visit www.msmc.us