Aileen Wolkin
25.02.1929 – 20.05.2024
Aileen Wolkin died at home on May 20 at the age of 95 after a long and courageous battle with cancer, surviving her husband Josh, who died in 2008, and her younger brother Ivan Grossman, who died earlier this month.
Aileen was a loving mother to her daughter Betsy and her son Brandt. She is also survived by her son-in-law Michael Gaines, her daughter-in-law Susie Korn, her grandchildren Matthew, Liz, Maxwell and Will, and her great-grandchildren Josh and Audrey.
Aileen was born in Philadelphia, where she met and married Joshua, her husband of 58 years. Josh and Aileen moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco in the late 1970s, beginning the West Coast chapter of their lives. Shortly after moving to San Francisco, Aileen began a wonderful and creative interior design partnership with her dear friend Gayle Blum. Aileen loved life in San Francisco, where her two children had moved, and enjoyed being a “hands-on” grandma.
Aileen was known for her beauty, sharp wit, intelligence, style and charm. Josh believed she was the belle of every ball they attended. She was unflinchingly loyal to those she loved. We will miss her very much.
Services will be 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at Congregation Sherith Israel, 2266 California St., San Francisco.
Published by San Francisco Chronicle on May 21, 2024.
