SVSHS

BITTERSWEET

2009-11-18T19:05:00.003-05:00

Thank you, Billy Myones, for taking the picture and sharing. Thank you, Jeff Presser, for sending this to all of us.

Comments:

Jeff Presser: Nice memorial but better to have him around.

Nina Hoffman Steen: This is amazing. Thanks for sending it around.

Marge Teilhaber: It's mind-boggling to look at this sign. Such an honor for Jeff and his family but so sad that life took a path that made him eligible for this at such a young age.

JEFF WINIKOFF, PASSIONATE ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE

2008-07-28T11:16:00.005-04:00

From: Marge Teilhaber
To: Ellen Winikoff
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2008

Dear Ellen, Sam, and Ben,

I am Marge Teilhaber, SVHS classmate of Jeff’s. I know Jeff since 8th grade at Kakiat Junior High School. I didn’t go to the 40th reunion so I didn’t get to see Jeff or meet you, Ellen.

Please accept my heartfelt condolences for your loss. From everything I know about Jeff as a kid and from what I’ve learned about him lately, I know what a terrible loss this is for Jeff, too! He certainly wasn’t done and thoroughly enjoyed his life and made a significant positive impact on many people.

Sincerely,

Marge Teilhaber
_______________________________________

From: Ellen Winikoff
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008

Marge,

This is the first time I've opened Jeff's email. I was lucky enough to have shared a life with him for most of the 40 plus years after SVHS. I certainly recognize your name, Marge, and know that he had fond memories of that time of (almost) innocence.

You're right: this was a terrible loss for all of us, including Jeff. He loved being a judge and he was passionate about community service. I'm in the process of developing a foundation in his name to continue those ideas that were so dear to him.

My children and I are comforted by the outpouring of compassion and kind words.

Warmly,
Ellen Winikoff
_______________________________________

From: Marge Teilhaber
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008

Hi Ellen,

Yes, there sure has been an outpouring. I’ve read every entry on the legacy site. That’s how I know that the great guy in high school became an accomplished and terrific great guy as an adult, sense of humor intact, evolved, and wonderful. I’m sure you enjoyed him immensely.

When the foundation is established, let me know so I can spread the word.

It’s so nice to hear from you, Ellen.

Marge

Thoughts from another SVHS classmate

2008-06-30T22:30:00.001-04:00

From: Judy Pines
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 10:52 AM

Margie,

Just got back from vacation and read the sad news about Jeff. He was such a great guy and so much fun. He will be missed.

Judy

JEFF WINIKOFF, a great guy as a teenager who evolved into a fabulous guy as an adult

2008-06-23T21:43:00.008-04:00

From: Bette Bohlke-O'Gara
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 8:47 PM

Hi Marge,

I do plan to contribute to the foundation established in his name, a very fitting tribute to the Jeff we all knew. I'm wondering: maybe the Class of '66 could contribute. I'd sure be willing to contribute. And that would also be a nice way of extending our 'net' and letting all know what a great human being he was - and the lives he touched - even in his teen years!

Bette
_______________________________________________

From: Steve Fiss
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 5:40 PM

Marge,

It was great to hear from you. I am so sorry to hear about Jeff’s passing. Although I had not talked to Jeff in quite a while, he was an amazing person. I am saddened by the loss.

Steve a/k/a Fissie

JUDGE JEFFREY A. WINIKOFF FOUNDATION

2008-06-22T22:25:00.004-04:00

From: Sydney Smilowitz Ross
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2008 8:11 PM

Hi everyone,

I only recently was in touch with Jeff by email. He had asked me to contact his wife, Ellen, to make plans to get together and meet again after 40 years. That was two weeks ago. Sadly the rest is history. I am so sorry. I attended the funeral and was able to meet his lovely wife and sons and witness a funeral service that was remarkable. Jeff left a beautiful legacy and was obviously a very special man.

There is a foundation in Jeff's name: Judge Jeffrey A. Winikoff Foundation.

If any of you remember me from SVHS Class of '66, best wishes and regards from me.

Sydney Smilowitz Ross
(had to get married to get a much better last name)

JEFF WINIKOFF, MAN OF HONOR

2008-06-21T09:19:00.004-04:00

From: Steve Alpert
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 11:37 PM

Hi Marge, The funeral service was overwhelming. SRO.... Jeff Winikoff asked not what people can do for him, but what can he do for people. He was greatly admired by his fellow jurists. All of the 15th Circuit Court judges attended. A few spoke to the congregation about what a great judge and man he was. Several politicians spoke about him today. After listening, it can be said that Jeff Winikoff made the world a better place. He left behind thousands of people whose lives he changed for the better. He died a man of honor.
__________________________________________________

From: Sydney Smilowitz Ross
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2008 12:23 AM

Margie, I was going to call you tonight but got involved with other things and got too late. Will speak to you by phone, but in the meantime wanted you to know that Jeff's funeral was what I expected...and even more. Hundreds of people attended...SRO.... Entire court system closed down from his judicial district because all 40 fellow judges from his circuit attended...they actually entered in a procession all together in their robes and were seated by his coffin.

His brother-in-law is a rabbi and he led the service and eulogized him so beautifully along with other superb and heartfelt eulogies by Mark Goodfriend and another of his friends and one fellow judge. One of our very well known and respected county commissioners also eulogized him magnificently. They were friends. It appears that Jeff was very active in the Boca Raton area where he resided and they are going to propose that a specific street be named after him because of Jeff's efforts on behalf of the community.

According to his wonderful eulogies, he was a very loved and respected person who had high ethics, true concern and empathy for others, a quick wit, a great sense of humor, and was highly intelligent, and very gracious and humble. He had only become a judge five years ago, but in that short time he obviously accomplished much.

I introduced myself to his wife, Ellen, who seemed like a very lovely and friendly person, and I was amazed by how she presented herself at this terrible time...she was amazing. I met his two sons, Ben and Sam. Sam is the spitting image of his dad. Both boys seemed lovely and were very gracious as well and handled themselves amazingly well for just losing their beloved father. Jeff's parents seemed to be taking his passing the worst of everyone, which is very understandable. It is very sad when parents outlive their child.

It appears that Jeff was supposed to be shortly having a bypass operation, but unfortunately that did not come to pass so obviously his family was aware of his health problems. The only good thing I can say is that he thankfully did not have a death of suffering and that his send-off was an amazing tribute to him and his family.

Jeff went out in STYLE and others remarked that they hoped when they passed on that they would have such a "send off." My husband attended with me and remarked that he really would have liked the opportunity to meet Jeff and I am so sorry I did not have the opportunity to reacquaint with him,

There is a foundation set up in his name. When I speak to you, I will tell you about it and give you the particulars. The family will be sitting shiva. I will send a condolence card with a note to Ellen and a donation to his foundation.

On Jeff's tombstone they said it would read "CARPE DIEM" because that is how he lived his life. He put a lot of living into his 59 years and accomplished much. He is a tribute to himself....and what a legacy he left!!!!!! I hope he is now busily presiding over cases in heaven.

Fond regards, Sydney

WHY WE'RE HERE

2008-06-19T21:34:00.000-04:00

Hello everybody,

I created this blog today because an email stream that I was creating with the very sad and awful news about the passing of Jeff Winikoff was having a conniption and was seemingly not being sent. So I put it all in this blog and will send a link to everyone.

I purposely left off all your email addresses because a blog is accessible to the world and no one needs spammers getting ahold of them. I have many phone numbers, so just email me for them.
If anyone would like your comment removed, just say the word and I'll do that. I made the assumption that everyone would be fine with it, but some people are more private than others and I understand that. Please tell me if you want yours off.

I will keep up with this blog and put stuff on here that can't be posted on classmates.com. Later this summer I'll put a link to the 40th reunion photo album, which Jeff and Ellen attended, and other stuff but not now. Tomorrow is Jeff's funeral. If I lived in Florida, I'd be there. But as it turns out, I will be working in Suffern, which is kind of serendipitous because since 1978, I have worked in Rockland County maybe 3 other times total. The job location is very near Sutters and also my dad so I will feel an extra connection the whole day.

Take care, everybody.

THOUGHTS FROM OUR SVHS CLASSMATES 6-19-08

2008-06-19T21:23:00.005-04:00

From: Philip Tackel
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:51 AM

http://www.legacy.com/SunSentinel/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=111739822
_______________________________________

From: Jeff Presser
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 7:27 AM

Please send this to those I have not included. He sure did make an impression.
_______________________________________

From: Sydney Smilowitz Ross
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:42 AM

Margie....Thank you for sending the very sad news....I am shocked. I spoke to Jeff on the computer a week or two ago and we were going to get together. He asked me to call his wife Ellen and I was just about getting ready to do so. I will attend the funeral. I will also get back to you with his phone number which I have to search out on my old emails. He was way too young to die and obviously had a very fulfilling life, career, and family. I am so sorry that we never got the chance to renew our acquaintance from HS. Now I finally get to see him...at his funeral.

When they say....we make plans and God laughs...it's true.

I believe Jeff was the very first person I ever contacted on Clasmates.com. Please forward this on to anyone you please that knew Jeff. My heart and thoughts go out to his wife and sons....and remind me to be grateful that I was able to get up today and put my feet on the ground...because everyday is a gift. Will get back to you soon.

Sydney
_______________________________________

From: Sydney Smilowitz Ross
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:33 AM

I am sure there will be people from SVHS at the funeral who will not recognize me and vice versa. In order to identify myself, I will be wearing a very large white or pink flower pin on my left side. My hair is reddish with blond highlights and I will be wearing large brown frame glasses. If anyone sees me, please come over. Marge, please forward this to others for me. Sydney
_______________________________________

From: Marge Teilhaber
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:53 PM

Sydney Smilowitz Ross will be at Jeff’s funeral and I believe Steve Alpert also. See Sydney’s email below. I have both of their phone numbers if anyone wants to call them.

Tim Russert and Jeff Winikoff in the same week. Both of them smart, funny, unique and wonderful personalities whose shoes will never be filled, men who adored their families, oh, how we hate to have to say good-bye.
_______________________________________

From: Nina Hoffman Steen
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 1:17 PM

My condolences to everyone...Wasn't it great to be able to get together, with Jeff and everyone who came to the 40th reunion, and have such a wonderful time? I hope we can do it again soon.

xxoo

Nina Hoffman Steen
_______________________________________

From: Sandy Gronek
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 1:29 PM

It's anticipated that there will be many more people there than Beth Israel can hold. The attorneys here loved and respected Jeffrey and many attorneys, even those from the same firms are going, as well as almost every Judge. In addition to that, many, many people from Boca and West Boca. If someone is planning on attending, they may want to get there earlier than 12:30. I know Ellen would want his oldest friends to be able to get in.
_______________________________________

From: Marge Teilhaber
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 4:33 PM

Thought you’d all appreciate reading a part of an email that Jeff wrote me in January 2006:

“Can you tell me anything about a reunion? Strange as it may seem, I feel some urgency about seeing old friends again though I recognize that as something of a fool's errand. Nevertheless the feeling is real and growing. I look back on SVHS with great fondness and always have believed that it was a very special place and time. I'm afraid I wait weekly to see if someone new will show up on Classmates or if someone will be willing to share some thoughts.”
_______________________________________

From: Howie Sherman
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:06 PM

Hi Marge - So as I was telling you, my memory of Jeff is full of humor and laughs. He actually advised me on my "first date." I believe it was in 8th grade since I remember the conversation occurring in Kakiat. I told Jeff that I asked a girl to the movies, but I didn't know whether it was appropriate for me to pay for both tickets or whether I had to take her for a snack after the movie (my only employment was my newspaper route). Jeff told me that it didn't matter, as long as I kissed her during the movie since girls want to be kissed and this is the only way she would go out with me again. He also told me to sit in the balcony towards the rear. I asked him how and when to start. He told me that I should just lean over and kiss her about halfway through the movie.

When we arrived at the movie, I inquired regarding the length of the movie, divided the length in half and noted the time of the kiss on my watch. As the time drew near, I became more and more nervous. Finally, at exactly halfway through the movie, I did lean over and kiss her. She actually became angry and told me that I was trying to create a "side show" for the audience.

That was my first date with any girl, and my last date with that girl. I've rarely seen Jeff since high school, but it is amazing how empty I, and the rest of us, feel at his loss. I'll speak to you soon.

Howie Sherman

_______________________________________

From: Scott Teilhaber
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 2:38 PM

Sad news. I will always have fond memories of Jeff and his sense of humor and his good nature.

Scott Teilhaber

THOUGHTS FROM OUR SVHS CLASSMATES 6-18-08

2008-06-19T21:16:00.000-04:00

From: Steve Wachs
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 1:23 AM

Oh man....yeah...please get me his address as well...one son is named Sam...the other? And...if anyone has his phone #, please send. And so it goes, guys....so many crazy fun memories... My favorite was in 8th grade English? 9th? When he asked for a bathroom pass...used a 'Lamour Color Comb' and it went bad and he came back into the room with green hair... If anyone speaks at his funeral...please throw that in...he'd appreciate it. Best to the rest of you... Wachs
_______________________________________

From: Bette Bohlke-O'Gara
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 6:15 AM

So sad...He was a wonderful person... Bette
_______________________________________

From: Howie Sherman
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:33 AM

Marge - I don't know what to think or say. Jeff was such a large part of our lives, and our fun, in the days. My father lives in West Palm and my brother-in-law & his brother both sat on the bench with Jeff, so I have spoken to him recently. His humor attracted all of us in high school, and now he seems to be bringing us together again. Thanks for letting me know of his passing, and I will speak to you soon.
Howie (Sherman)
_______________________________________

From: Joel Falk
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 8:46 AM

Marge, Thank you for letting me know. This is very sad news. I'm now feeling very bad about not keeping up with everyone. I don't know if you know Jeff's wife but, if you do, and you have the occasion to speak with her, please give her my condolences. Joel
_______________________________________

From: Steve Greenwald
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 12:59 PM

Thanks for forwarding this. Please send an address when you have one. Very very sad - happy that I had the opportunity to see him within the past few years -- sad that we are tentatively planning to go to Boca in the fall and I was intending to see him.

THOUGHTS FROM OUR SVHS CLASSMATES 6-17-08

2008-06-19T20:46:00.000-04:00

From: Sandy Gronek
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:51 AM

Terrible news. Jeffrey Winikoff passed away last night. All I know right now is that the funeral will be this Friday. When I get more info, I'll let you know. I don't have their home address with me. He had a massive heart attack last Wed. night and was in the hospital since. I saw Ellen Sunday. She's holding up well. I was hoping to send an email saying he was recovering instead of this one. Sandy
____________________________________________

From: Jeff Presser
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:24 AM

As info is available I will pass it along. Sorry for the awful news

WE LOST JEFF WINIKOFF

2008-06-19T20:15:00.000-04:00

_______________________________________________________________________

From: Palm Beach County Bar Assn.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 8:06 AM
Subject: Judge Winikoff Funeral Arrangements

Press Release from the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit

The Fifteenth Judicial Circuit is deeply saddened to announce the death of The Honorable Jeffrey A. Winikoff, Circuit Judge.

Judge Winikoff, who was 59, passed away this morning at West Boca Hospital after having suffered a heart attack. He was greatly admired by both his fellow judges and the court staff. His absence will be a tremendous loss for the Court in Palm Beach County. He is survived by his wife, Ellen, a long time teacher in the Palm Beach County School System, two sons, Ben and Sam, and his parents, Francis and Douglas Winikoff. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, June 20, 2008, at 12:30 p.m. at Beth Israel Memorial Chapel, 11115 Jog Road, Boynton Beach, Florida. Burial will immediately follow the service at Eternal Light Memorial Gardens, 11520 State Road 7, Boynton Beach, Florida. Many judges will be suspending their calendars to attend the memorial service. Attorneys and/or litigants with hearings scheduled for Friday, June 20, are encouraged to contact the appropriate judicial offices to determine if their hearings have been rescheduled.

Palm Beach County Bar Association, 1601 Belvedere Road, #302E, West Palm Beach FL 33406