Obituary of Evelyn D. Silvert

Evelyn D. Silvert died on November 25, 2020 at her home with her family at her side in Jackson, New Jersey. Evelyn was born in Jersey City and spent her teen years in Asbury Park and Toms River, before moving to Freehold. There she lived for the majority of her adult life and owned and operated Silvert’s Furniture with her husband Harry. Until the day she retired, Evelyn was in the store every single day and loved selling, decorating and charming the customers. But perhaps Evelyn’s proudest achievement was as a founder and Secretary of Freehold Area Hospital (now CentraState Medical Center). The ten years of fundraising (for which some said was an “impossible dream”) came to fruition in 1971. Among her other accomplishments, Evelyn was a founding member and President of the Sisterhood of the Freehold Jewish Center; President of the Freehold Hadassah; past matron of the Order of the Eastern Star; member of the executive board of The United Way; and Vice President of Jewish Children and Family Services. Memorably, she once said, “Any small measure I have given of myself has been returned to me tenfold in satisfaction.” Evelyn also had a passion and shrewd genius for the stock market. She was a competitive Scrabble player and wrote poetry to commemorate events in hers and her family’s lives. She was a religious Jeopardy watcher who would proudly regale friends and loved ones when she got Final Jeopardy and the contestants did not. She devoured the New York Times and would often read an entire book in a day. She would share and brag about the achievements of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren with unrestrained pride. An unwavering optimist, Evelyn remembered the best of times and would always look to the future with hope. Evelyn was predeceased by her husband Harry in 2004 and her grandson Brian in 2008. She is survived by her daughter Joan Kober and her husband Alan; son Glenn Silvert and his partner Debra Gregg; daughter Dale Iserson and her husband Larry; six grandchildren Tracy Blumenthal and her husband Rob; Scott Kober and his wife Erinn; Allison O’Neill and her husband Owen; David Iserson; Lori Kivowitz and her husband Michael; and Greg Iserson and his partner Jordan Riggs. She is also survived by seven great-grandchildren Carly and Ryan Blumenthal, Charlie Kober, Aeron and Cian O’Neill and Holden and Harper Kivowitz. Memorial contributions can be made to Evelyn Silvert Behavioral Health Endowment Fund c/o CentraState Foundation 225 Willow Brook Rd. Unit 5, Freehold, NJ 07728. Graveside services were held at the Hebrew Benefit Society Cemetery, Freehold. Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold is in charge of arrangements.