Esther Rapoport

Esther Rapoport, 95, was born on January 31, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois and died on October 3, 2015 in her beloved Santa Fe, New Mexico. Esther was the youngest of five children born to Bess and Aaron Hartman and was married for 64 years to Sydney Rapoport until his death in 2003. Esther lived a long and blessed life. She worked at her husbands side for 40 years in the hardware business and was a tireless volunteer for Jewish and other causes. She was instrumental in building synagogues in both Chicago and Santa Fe, and in her later years, she volunteered at the gift shop at St. Vincent Hospital. Esther and Sydney loved to travel and made friends everywhere they journeyed. Esther is survived by her children, Cookie and husband James Svingos of Walnut Creek, California, Elliot and wife Gail Rapoport of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Alan Rapoport and partner Tess Chappuis of Santa Fe, New Mexico; grandchildren, Adena Svingos, Daniele Svingos and husband Kevin Rockmael, Jennifer and husband Jamey Schwartz, Isadora and husband Alan Bielsky, and Molly and husband Michael Duane; and four great grandchildren, Jackson Rockmael, Skyler Rockmael, Solomon Bielsky, and Adira Bielsky. Burial will take place at the family plot in Chicago, Illinois. A memorial service will be held in Santa Fe at a later date. Donations may be made in her memory to Congregation Beit Tikva, P.O. Box 24094, Santa Fe, NM 87502.