Adah Jaffer's Obituary
Adah Straus Jaffer, 100 years old, died October 10, 2014, in Miami FL,
where she lived for 61 years. She played french horn and violin in
community bands and orchestras, playing french horn in the Greater
Miami Symphonic Band until the age of 98.
She was a music educator in public schools in Virginia, Ohio, and
Florida. Adah was the assistant director of military and dance bands
in the Women's Army Corps of the U.S. Army 1943-1946. After the war
she was a stand-up comedienne with violin, stage-name "Virginia
Richmond", in NY, NJ, & New England, appearing on Arthur Godfrey's
"Talent Scouts" and Leonard Sillman's "New Faces".
The daughter of Aubrey and Wilma Marx Straus, Adah Virginia Straus was
born May 9, 1914 in Richmond, Va. She had an older brother Clifford,
deceased, and two younger sisters, Augusta Goodman of Virginia Beach,
VA and Audrey Koch of Rockville, MD. She was married to Harold Jaffer
for 41 years and is survived by sons Aubrey of Bedford, MA (Roberta),
and Joel, and grandchildren Martin and Sarah
She earned a BA in Music Education in 1935 from Northwestern
University and a MA in Music Education in 1940 and a Professional
Diploma in 1952 from Columbia University
Adah was active at Temple Judea in Coral Gables FL and served as
Sisterhood president from 1983 to 1985
Contributions in Adah's memory can be made to
NAMI
3803 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 100
Arlington, Va 22203
What’s your fondest memory of Adah?
What’s a lesson you learned from Adah?
Share a story where Adah's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Adah you’ll never forget.
How did Adah make you smile?
