Memories of Charlotte Ida (Litman) Tubis

                     Philip Litman (Brother)

The first two children of Max (called Maxie by his wife) and Matilda (called Tillie) Litman were boys. Henry was born October 15, 1928 and Philip, May 11, 1930.

Almost seven years after Philip was born, the family welcomed Charlottes Ida on May 8, 1937.

My parents created a receptive feeling in Henry and me towards the birth of Charlotte. She was welcomed with enthusiasm.

Maxie was thrilled to have a daughter. Tillie stated on numerous occasions that Charlotte was the “apple of his eye.” Because Maxie’s business required him to work most weekends, Charlotte became very close to her mother. Even so, Maxie showed extreme affection toward her, and I remember commenting on several occasions that as far as my father was concerned Charlotte could do no wrong.

Charlotte, being the only girl and the youngest child, was indeed the favored one. My brother and I were “real” boys. My mother told my wife Lucille about the time she was walking down the street with a woman friend and found her two boys wrestling in the street next to the curb, and she threw back her shoulders and quickly walked by making believe the two ruffians were not hers.

Each of us was given the choice of learning to play a musical instrument. Charlotte chose the violin. Her teacher was the director of the high school music department. Maxie and Tillie were extremely proud of her musical ability. She must have done exceptionally well since I can’t remember many screeching sounds coming from her violin after the first few months of lessons.

All three of us siblings attended college. I obtained three degrees from Boston University and then practiced law for many years. Charlotte attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and later graduated from Boston University. While at Boston University, she fell in love with Arnold and got married several days after her graduation. After a year living in Worcester, MA the couple moved to West Lafayette, IN where Arnold became a faculty member at Purdue University. In West Lafayette, Cheryl and Eliot were born and grew up, and Charlotte forged for herself a most interesting multifaceted life and career that Arnold, Cheryl, and Eliot described in her obituary and in memories of her.  

It has been over fifty-five years since Charlotte married Arnold and moved away from her childhood home. For me, remembering about events over the years has been in some ways frustratingly futile. I do remember that Tillie did not like air travel, but when Charlotte was about to give birth to Cheryl, she girded her loins and stoically traveled to West Lafayette to help Charlotte with her new grandchild.

I remember my mother and father looking forward to the many visits of Charlotte, Arnold, Cheryl and Eliot to them in Salem, MA. As my wife Lucille said of Eliot and Cheryl: “they were the most beautiful children.”

Henry died on February 7, 2015, just about two weeks before Charlotte. They were fortunately able to talk to each other by phone shortly before his passing. I am sure that he would have been able to recall the many happy times the family had together, including those during the many fun-filled visits of Charlotte and Arnold to his home in Stuart, FL.

Charlotte will be missed.