Mickey Schoeff, 95, Special Education Teacher

FRAMINGHAM – Mickey Schoeff died on Sunday, December 5, 2021, at the age of 95. 

There was a strange, beautiful, and haunting symmetry to his life, coming to be because of the flu pandemic in the early 20^th century and leaving because of the covid pandemic of the 21^st.

  He was the kindest, gentlest man who ever graced this planet.  He taught his children and grandchildren to always stick up for the little guy, and to treat differences with kindness, respect, and interest.  Mickey believed that family are friends, and friends are family.  Family celebrations always reflected that belief.

Mickey is survived by Lucy, his wife and love of 71 years;  his three daughters – Lynn Schoeff, Amy Schoeff, and Debbie Schoeff-Comenitz; son-in-law – Mark Friedman; seven grandchildren – Erika Grace, Megan Kudrolli, Matthew Comenitz, Heather Friedman, Hope Friedman, Corey Comenitz, and Cass Friedman; two great-grandchildren – Dylan and Rohin.  In addition to his family, Mickey has loved and been loved by countless honorary grandchildren.  He was loved by so many friends and family that it is impossible to count.

Mickey first became an activist in the 1940s when he returned from the front in World War II.  He spoke many times about being confronted by angry, violent counter-protestors at Peekskill, which, along with living and witnessing hard poverty in New York City during the depression, and the Red Scare years, were formative experiences.  

Mickey was the quintessential New Yorker, riding the subways alone from the age of 8 to his late 80s (until his daughters finally convinced Lucy and Mickey to move to Massachusetts).  He and Lucy were great fans of off-Broadway theater and concerts of all kinds.  He enjoyed shopping on Canal Street and in countless ethnic enclaves in NY and perusing obscure record shops.  Among his favorite activities was walking, walking, walking the streets of the City.  His favorite memories from childhood involved hanging out in the streets of the Lower East Side and Brooklyn, getting into mischief with a large group of friends with fabulous nicknames. 

After retiring from a 45-year career teaching special education and mentoring scores of young teachers, he began baking Sephardic food for his growing horde of grandchildren.  Family was everything to him.  Besides his daughters and grandchildren, he deeply loved his nephews, whom he also considered friends.  Family vacations involved enormous gatherings in Spencertown, NY and Pass-a-Grille, FL where he developed his unsurpassed cornhole skills.

In his final years, Mickey got great pleasure listening to music, visiting with loved ones, and watching the wind moving the leaves around his home.

In lieu of flowers or donations, please do something kind and generous in Mickey’s honor.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Norton Funeral Home in Framingham.