Mildred Drucker, 90

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Mildred Drucker, originally of Brooklyn, New York, passed away Feb. 21 with loved ones by her side. Mildred was beloved wife of 66 years to her late husband, Louis; and a loving sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She is described by her family as a woman who took great pride in her family and her career as a teacher and mentor. She will also be remembered for her comedic timing, quick wit and ability to send a room full of her grandchildren into nearly uncontrolled fits of laughter.

Mildred had a long career as an elementary schoolteacher, and teacher mentor in Queens, New York. She was a reading specialist, with deep commitment to her students and their families. She was known to go above and beyond in her tutelage of her students and their parents well after the typical classroom hours had ended.

Mildred, along with Louis, instilled the value of a strong education in her daughter, and then her seven grandchildren. She was very proud of her master’s degree in Histology, and her research work at Brooklyn Hospital before embarking on her teaching career. She played a part in teaching many of her grandchildren to read, bringing them phonetics workbooks from her classroom in New York on frequent weekend trips to Providence. Living downstairs from her great-grandchildren, she took great joy in seeing their recent reading progress as well.

In their retirement Mildred and Louis continued to be passionate about learning, and often traveled, took in lectures and concerts, and participated in discussion groups on a wide variety of topics. Mildred was a voracious reader, usually with large stacks of library books checked out at a time. She loved a good cookout where she could have a few hotdogs with mustard! She also had a few specialties she liked to cook for her family, friends and neighbors ... her mandel bread cookies will be missed!

She was wife to the late Louis Drucker, mother to the late Marjorie Thompson, and is survived by her son-in-law, Ian Thompson; her brother Bill Yellin; seven grandchildren and their partners, and two great-grandchildren.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Hope Hospice and Palliative Care of RI, 1085 N. Main St., Providence, RI 02904.