Susan (“Sue”) Rae Tobin, 89, died July 1, 2020.
Born in Hackensack to Adeline and Sam Cohen, and raised in Passaic, Mrs. Tobin was proud of her New Jersey roots. She delighted in being a kindergarten/first grade teacher until she switched careers to full-time mother. As young parents, she and Saul moved to Tucson in 1959 to seek relief from her worsening arthritis, and, very quickly, Tucson became home and brought more family. She and Saul immediately became active in their new Jewish community and remained so all their lives. Mrs. Tobin’s intellect made for a rich life full of curiosity and trying new things. She and Saul traveled the world and also loved being at the beach. At the age of 53, Mrs. Tobin went back to school and got her master’s degree in reading from the University of Arizona. She became a professional grandma with the birth of her first grandchild and savored that role more than any other. Even as she gracefully moved through the stages of Alzheimer’s, she continued to inspire her family and bring joy and much laughter.
Mrs. Tobin was predeceased by her husband, Saul.
Survivors include her son, Eric Tobin of Evanston, Illlinois; daughter Sarah (Jeff) Artzi of Tucson; sister, Phyllis Sorkin of Tucson; five grandchildren; and dear friend, Vicky Celis Picazo.
Memorial contributions may be made to The University of Arizona Arthritis Center (https://arthritis.arizona.edu) or The Tobin Fund for Jewish Continuity, held at the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona (https://jcftucson.org).
