Audrey Wolff Chanen

Audrey Wolff Chanen, age 85, of Seattle, WA and formerly of Quincy, died Friday, June 7, 2019, at 2:00 am in her home in Seattle.

Audrey was born October 14, 1933 in Aberdeen, South Dakota, the daughter of Goodman and Yetta Braufman Greller. Following the death of her father in WWII, her mother remarried Saul Wolff, and the family relocated to Clayton, MO. She married Philip Stanley Chanen on August 15, 1953 in St. Louis, MO. He survives.

Audrey graduated from Clayton High School in Clayton, MO in 1951. She then attended Northwestern University from 1951 until 1952, when she married Philip. Several years later, she attended Northwestern University again and received a Master's degree in English Literature in 1968. She then continued to Washington University in St. Louis where she received a Master of Social Work degree ion 1970. Audrey returned to school for a Ph. D. in English Literature at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, in 1977. She received her doctorate in 1980.

Audrey worked as a Social Worker at Family Service Agency in Quincy for approximately six years, where she did individual therapy and group therapy. She left Family Service to teach English at Quincy College for another six years. That is when she left to go to the University of Iowa for her Ph.D with her dissertation "American Holocaust Novels".

Audrey was a member of B'Nai Sholom Temple in Quincy. She was also a member of Herzl ner Tamid in Seattle, WA. She led an active life in Quincy as President of the League of Women Voters, an actress at the Quincy Community Theater, a tennis and duplicate bridge player, and a volunteer at B'Nai Sholom. She belonged to the YWCA where she put on programs such as the Chicago Director of Housing for the Sate of Illinois. Audrey enjoyed many friendships. In Iowa City, Audrey became a swimmer, and she swam daily there. She would continue that activity when she and Phil moved to Seattle in 1988. She learned how to cook exotic meals, and she wrote and edited her own cook book. She also oil painted for several years, studying with Father Tom Brown in Quincy College. One year she took 2nd prize in oil for one of her paintings. She was Chairman of the Quincy ArtShow for one year as well. Audrey taught painting to one of her grandsons, and she had done further painting study at the Pratt Institute in Seattle. Audrey was a member of the Anti-Defamation League and other organizations in Seattle. She also started an innovative program to teach typing and office skills to students at Quincy's Frederick Ball Community Center.

In addition to her husband, survivors include three children: Gordon Chanen of Mercer Island, WA; Deborah Chanen of Duarte, CA; and Ari Chanen of Reston, VA; a daughter-in-law, Sherri Richman of Mercer Island, WA; three grandchildren: Samuel and Michael Chanen, both of Mercer Island, WA; and Sonya Chanen of Duarte, CA; a sister, Hedy (Ron) Pearlman of Washington, DC; and two brothers: Edgar (Nina) Wolff of Creve Couer, MO and Ivan (Phyllis) Wolff of Teqeuster, FL.

Audrey was preceded in death by her parents.

Graveside Service: 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at Valley of Peace Cemetery, with Rabbi Hanan Balk officiating.

Burial: Valley of Peace, Quincy, IL

Visitation: 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 23, 2019 at 2572 Shoreland Dr. S.

Memorials: Valley of Peace Cemetery or donor's choice

www.hansenspear.com


Hansen-Spear Funeral Directors are in charge of the arrangements.

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