Mildred Maxine Perelman Chanin, 91, died Oct. 16, 2012 in Albuquerque, N.M.
Mrs. Chanin was born in Cleveland, Ohio. After her mother died when she was in high school, her father, who suffered from arthritis, moved the family to Tucson. She graduated from Tucson High School and received a B.A. in speech from the University of Arizona in 1944. She served as a faculty member in the UA speech department for several years. She married Abe Chanin in 1946. In the 1950s she developed the kindergarten and nursery school programs for Congregation Anshei Israel. She was business manager and co-publisher of the Arizona Post (now the Arizona Jewish Post) with Abe from 1956 to 1965. They also were co-publishers of Collegiate Baseball. She assisted Abe when he served as creator and director of the Southwest Jewish Archives at the UA, from 1988 to 1994. She and Abe coauthored “This Land, These Voices,” a history of Arizona told through interviews with 33 pioneer state leaders. Mrs. Chanin continued to teach Hebrew and religious studies at Congregation Anshei Israel and Temple Emanu-El until 1991. The Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona named her Jewish Educator of the Year in 1987. A life member of Hadassah, she started a Junior Hadassah group. She and Abe relocated to Albuquerque almost 10 years ago to be closer to their daughter, Beth.
Mrs. Chanin was preceded in death by four half-siblings, Sol, Meyer, Rose and Lil. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Abe Chanin of Albuquerque; daughter, Beth (Lance) Rudolph of Albuquerque; one grandson and one great-grandson.
Interment was at Santa Fe National Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Jewish Family Service, 5200 Wyoming NE, Suite, 200, Albuquerque, N.M., 87109 or online at jfsnm.org.
