Judith Grusin Cawn Rattner

Judith Grusin Cawn Rattner, (1923-2021). Judith Grusin Cawn Rattner died Saturday, February 20, 2021, at the age of 97. Born in Henderson, Kentucky, in 1923, she grew up in Evansville, Indiana where she attended grade school on Lodge Avenue, graduated from Bosse High School in 1941, and attended Indiana University in Bloomington until her marriage in 1945 to Paul (Jimmy) Cawn. With her parents, Samuel and Jennye Grusin and husband, she managed Grusin's Department Store on south Main Street until 1972. In Evansville, she was an active member of Temple Adath Israel, Sisterhood, Hadassah, and many civic organizations. In 1972 she remarried and later moved to Knoxville, Tennessee where she again was active in the community's Jewish life belonging to Temple Beth El and later Heska Amuna Synagogue. She supported many programs of the Knoxville Jewish Federation including those of Jewish Family Services and the resettlement of Jewish emigres in Knoxville in the 1990's as well as civic organizations, the InterFaith Health Clinic, and was recognized as a leader of the year by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. She continued her volunteerism throughout her retirement and greatly enjoyed having the distinction of being the oldest active volunteer at Heska Amuna, a synagogue she attended faithfully each week for Shabbat services until COVID-19 prevented her from being able to attend. She is survived by her children Susan (David) Harwood, Gary Cawn, Steven (Sarah) Cawn, Mary Ann Merrell, Dan (Martha) Rattner, Ken (Betty) Rattner, and Jerry (Eileen) Rattner; 14 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, nieces Lynn Raviv and Janie Feldman, and very special cousins who brought her life-long joy. She was predeceased by her parents, husbands Jimmy Cawn and Morris (Bud) Rattner, son Bryan Merrell, and her beloved sister, Phyllis Grusin Weinstein, who passed away in Birmingham, Alabama in January at the age of 100. A graveside service will be held in Evansville, Indiana, Tuesday, February 23rd at 3:00 pm EST/2:00 CST which will be streamed at https://www.facebook.com/ziemerfuneralhome/. The family asks that donations in her memory be made to the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center (https://bhecinfo.org/), Yad LaKashish/Lifeline for the Old (https://www.lifeline.org.il/), or to an organization that is meaningful to you that supports those with the greatest needs in your community. The family wishes to extend endless gratitude to mom's book club circle, her caring friends, and to her special friends at Sherrill Hills for providing so much pleasure to her throughout the years and to Mila and Felipp Gashchenko for their loving care.

Tributes

Judith Grusin Cawn Rattner

November 7, 1923 - February 20, 2021