Yetta (Lackey) Perlman

Yetta (Lackey) Perlman died on January 8, 2021 in Melbourne, Florida, at the age of 95. She was the widow of Alex (Al) Perlman, her husband of nearly 40 years. She leaves behind four children, 12 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren, all of whom she adored. She was beloved by every one of them.

Yettie (as she was called) was born in Youngstown, Ohio, the youngest of the seven children of Emanuel and Helen Lackey. Her parents emigrated from Russia, and Yettie grew up speaking Yiddish and English. She loved her big family, and remained especially close to her four sisters and her surviving brother, throughout their lives.

In 1947, she married Al, who was the love of her life, and moved with him to New York City. They started their family the following year, and Yettie loved her time as a stay-at-home mom. Once her youngest child was in first grade, Yettie brushed up on her secretarial training, and began her career outside the home.

In 1969, Yettie and Al moved to Latham, New York, for Al’s job with the Albany Department of Motor Vehicles. They became members of Congregation Ohav Shalom, and had a wide, fun-loving circle of friends. During those years, Yettie worked as a secretary for a private engineering firm, for Congregation Ohav Shalom, and for a New York State Assemblyman. But she was most proud of her work as the executive secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of New York.

Yettie and Al enjoyed traveling abroad, taking many trips overseas with friends. They also visited their cherished grandchildren in the US and Israel.

After Al died in 1987, Yettie remained in Latham for ten years, at which time she moved to Florida. She stayed active into her 90’s, helping immigrant children learn to read at a local middle school, volunteering at the local PBS station, working in the office of her condo association, and serving as chapter president of the Papanicoloau (Cancer Research) Society. She enjoyed her book clubs and canasta games, and even starred in her community theater production. She was an avid reader, a competitive Scrabble player, and was proud her signature fast-paced walks.

She was a vibrant and caring person, and the heart of her family. Missing her tremendously, but grateful to have had her for so long, are her children: Marilyn (Charlie) Levy, Alan (Bunnie) Perlman, Neil (Peggy) Perlman, and Melissa Perlman (Richard Moore), as well as her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to mazon.org (to combat hunger) or the charity of your choice.

The funeral is at noon on Wednesday, January 13th. Due to Covid restrictions, the service will be zoomed and the burial will be live-streamed.

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