Raquel L. (Levin) Fialkoff

Raquel Fialkoff, age 93, passed away on Saturday, November 18, 2017 in Manchester, Connecticut, surrounded by her family. She was born in Pinsk, Poland on July 5, 1924, the daughter of Nejemia Levin and Nejoma Kaplan Levin.

Raquel left Poland as a young child because of political unrest which ultimately resulted in the loss of the family left behind in the Holocaust. She was raised in Habana, Cuba, and in 1946, graduated from Universidad de la Habana with a doctorate in Pharmacy and practiced in her own pharmacy. In 1962 she came to Connecticut fleeing the Cuban revolution. Unable to practice as a pharmacist, she dedicated herself to community service. She served as a Planned Parenthood Counselor, Sisterhood President and Seniors Director at Temple Beth Sholom and member of the Manchester Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Later in life she became a tutor in Professor Linda Burke’s Spanish classes at Manchester Community College and discovered her love for education.

She enjoyed many lasting friendships throughout her life. She was known for poetry readings at her home, and her love of travel, classical music, the opera, fashion and Blanca, her Samoyed. She was a strong woman who lived on her own, and who maintained her sense of humor, wit and intellectual pursuits until her passing. She was also known for her matzah ball soup, black beans and rice, fruit salad and arroz con pollo.  

Raquel was predeceased by her beloved husband, Dr. Ruben Fialkoff and infant daughter Lillian. She leaves behind her loving family, daughter Pola Fialkoff and her partner Catherine Carter-Hancock, son Dr. Bernard Fialkoff and his wife Maria, grandchildren Kimberly Handleman and husband Damon Wiener, and Jason, Meghan and Scott Fialkoff, as well as three great-grandchildren Evan, Joshua and Alexandra.

Raquel’s family would like to thank her companions Claudia Rojas, Joan Petersen, Adela Avenoso, Susana Quintupil and Elena Bonilla for the devotion, love and support that they gave Raquel.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, November 20, 2017 at 11:00 am at Temple Beth Sholom Memorial Park, Autumn Street, Manchester, CT 06040.

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