Obituaries

– Compiled by Peter Jovanovich –

Evelyn Beatrice Slifstein

Evelyn Beatrice Slifstein, a longtime Rye resident, died July 11. She was 89 years old.
Born on March 18, 1921 to Dora and Abram Slifstein, who had recently emigrated from Russia, she grew up in Mamaroneck and Port Chester. After graduating from Port Chester High School in 1939, she went to work to help support her family during the lean times of the Great Depression. During World War II, she served in the Army.

After the war, Ms. Slifstein held various secretarial positions until 1969, when she joined Transkrit, Inc., a printing company in Brewster, as secretary to the president. She worked there until her retirement at age 75, forging lifelong friendships with many of her colleagues.

Family was very important in Evelyn Slifstein’s life. According to a relative, she was very close to her nieces and nephews, putting effort into keeping everyone connected. “She valued her friends, feeling herself lucky to have so many good ones,” said one of her nieces. “She possessed the rare ability to enjoy people as they were, and her friends all thought themselves fortunate to know Evelyn. No matter how busy her schedule or tight her budget, she always found the time and resources to help those in need, especially children.”

An avid reader and a lifelong knitter and needle-worker of great prowess, Ms. Slifstein was able to engage in her many avocations in retirement. She volunteered at the Rye Free Reading Room and took courses at Manhattanville College, traveling around in her trademark snow-white Volvo.

She was predeceased by her two sisters, Jessie Smith of Palm Beach Shores, Fla., and Hilda Simon of Nantucket, Mass.; and by her younger brother, Matthew Slifstein of White Plains. She is survived by her older brother, Sidney Slifstein of Dennisport, Mass. and Winter Springs, Fla.; by her nieces and nephews, Paul Slifstein, Susan Simon, Laura Simon, Maurine Prichard, Mark

Slifstein and Sari Verrilli; and by many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.

A gathering in honor of Evelyn Beatrice Slifstein will be held in early fall. Donations can be made in her memory to Save The Children and Doctors Without Borders.

Michael T. DelVal

Michael T. “Chip” DelVal, a lifelong resident of Rye and a revered high school basketball coach, passed away July 8. He was 89.

He was born June 22, 1921, the son of Michael and Marietta Guiseppe DelVal. After graduating from Rye High School in 1940, he majored in Physical Education and minored in biology at Kent State in Ohio. He received a Master’s degree from the University of Bridgeport. While serving as a Navy Corpsman during World War II, he received the Purple Heart.

Mr. DelVal taught physical education at Quaker Ridge Elementary School in Scarsdale. He also coached basketball and soccer at Samuel J. Preston Junior High School in West Harrison. In his 18 years coaching basketball at Woodlands High School in Hartsdale, he had 275 wins and 75 losses. He began coaching at Alexander Hamilton High School in 1982, where he had 233 wins and 111 losses. At the age of 79, he became head coach at Rye High School.

He was the first basketball coach in Westchester County to win over 500 games. In 1988, his Hamilton High team was undefeated. Mr. DelVal was Coach of the Year numerous times, and is a member of the Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the New York Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Among his favorite pastimes were tennis, walking and bicycling. Mr. DelVal served on the Rye City School Board, and was active in the weekly Con Ed Award Winners program in Hawthorne, N.Y.

His wife of 62 years, Nancy Grimaldi, died March 28, 2008. Two of his children, Judi March and David DelVal, also predeceased him.

Mr. DelVal is survived by three children: Nancy Alexander of Brunswick, Michael DelVal Jr. of Greenville, N.H., and John DelVal of Wahpeton, N.D.; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

A mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at the Church of the Resurrection July 13.
A tribute to Mr. DelVal appears in our Sports section.