Shirley "Shankey" Balbot Raffel's Obituary
Shirley “Shankey” Balbot Raffel was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Max Balbot and Celia Seiner Balbot who immigrated to the U.S. from Eastern Europe in the early 1920s.
Shankey was married to Leroy B. Raffel for 72 years. She is survived by her husband, four children, Ken Raffel of Portland ME, Janet Raffel of Portland, ME, Jim Raffel of Scarborough, ME, and Nancy Raffel Osherow of Boca Raton, FL, and by eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Shankey was an avid player of games: golf, tennis, bridge, backgammon, craps. When her kids were younger, she taught them many games, and competed with great enthusiasm.
Shankey will be remembered for her extraordinary interest in people — all people. She was a devoted friend to many and connected with strangers everywhere she went.
Shankey used these skills to help husband, Leroy, co-founder of the Arby’s restaurant chain; she interviewed and hired many of the early Arby’s employees. Later in life, she became a successful realtor.
Contributions in memory of Shirley "Shankey" Raffel can be made to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, https://jewishmiami.org/. Arrangements by Levitt-Weinstein Blasberg-Rubin-Zilbert Memorial Chapel (305) 932-2700
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