Henrietta Steinheimer Victor

Henrietta Steinheimer Victor passed away on August 3, 2017, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah at the age of 97. Savannah was her lifetime home as well as the home of many of her ancestors. Henrietta is predeceased by her dedicated and supportive parents, Lawrence Mayer Steinheimer, Sr. and Rhetta Dryfus Steinheimer as well as her devoted brother, Lawrence Mayer Steinheimer, Jr.



Henrietta was an active lifetime member of Congregation Mickve Israel, Mickve Israel's Sisterhood, and the National Council of Jewish Women. Two highlights of her life were her term as Sisterhood president and her selection as the Sisterhood's Woman of Valor. In addition, Henrietta was a member of the JEA, Telfair Museums, Savannah Jewish Archives, and other local organizations. Girl Scouting was always important to Henrietta and was a strong influence on her life, providing leadership skills and enhancing lifelong friendships.



She worked for the Office of Price Administration, Steinheimer Insurance Agency, and the Sunday School at Mickve Israel; however, she truly loved her career as a first-grade teacher at Juliette Low School for the Savannah Public Schools. She loved providing her students with the foundations for their education. She passed her love of teaching and for learning to her children and granddaughter and to hundreds of students who had Ms. Victor as their teacher.



During retirement, Henrietta enjoyed volunteering at the Boy Scouts office, Georgia Public Broadcasting, in several schools as a supplemental reader and mentor, and organizing a program to place Volunteers in the Classroom (VIC). Henrietta was frequently the first face of Mickve Israel as she provided welcome baskets to new members. In her later years, Henrietta shared her pride in her synagogue as a docent for Mickve Israel's museum and sanctuary.



At age 91, Henrietta had experimental heart surgery to replace her aortic valve. It is a testimony to her strength that she was willing to go through the procedure and that she actually survived the complicated surgery. Her family and friends are grateful to her local primary physicians who encouraged and supported this surgery, as well as the incredible cardiac team that performed the surgery at Emory University Hospital and Emory Hospital Midtown.



Henrietta is survived by her devoted children, Rhonda Victor (David Oppenheim) and Herbert Lawrence Victor (Teresa), her granddaughter Rachel Lauren Victor Goldsmith (Joshua), her great-granddaughter, Miriam Ahuva Goldsmith, her niece, Carole Steinheimer Brand (Nick), nephew, George David Steinheimer (Helen), and her hoards of other family members and family friends.



The family thanks the incredible team at St. Joseph's Hospital ICU as well as her personal physicians and their staff. Her caregivers/helpers join the family as we mourn for Henrietta and the family notes the wonderful care which they provided to keep her active and sharp during her last years.



The funeral service will be held at 11 o'clock Sunday morning, August 6, 2017, at the graveside, Bonaventure Cemetery, conducted by Rabbi Robert W. Haas. The family will receive friends at Congregation Mickve Israel after the graveside service.



In lieu of flowers, Henrietta's family prefers that donations in her memory be made to Congregation Mickve Israel's Museum Fund, Sisterhood, or Camp Fund at P.O. Box 816, Savannah, GA 31402 or a charity of your choice.