Zeldene Seidenfeld Lipsman, 83, died on Monday, Nov. 15, in Lenexa, Kan., of natural causes.
Zeldene was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on April 17, 1927, to Israel and Bess Seidenfeld. She had a twin sister, Helene, and a younger brother, Philip. She attended North High School in Des Moines, and married Alfred Lipsman on Dec. 26, 1954.
Other than briefly residing in Kansas City in her early 20s, she lived in Des Moines until age 80. She was actively involved in raising her five children, from serving as the neighborhood cookie-baker when they were small, to volunteering as parent adviser for their youth groups as they got older. She spent most of her life actively involved with her synagogue, both as a volunteer on many projects and as an employee of the Hebrew school and then of the Des Moines Jewish Federation. She spent one memorable summer chaperoning teenagers from Kansas City and Des Moines on a trip to Israel.
Her favorite activities included cooking, reading, religious observance and family visits. Zeldene enjoyed the friendship of many wonderful women in Des Moines and shared an especially close bond with her cousin and best friend Rosie Koufer.
Zeldene was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Alfred; her brother, Philip; and her sons, Daniel Lipsman and Murray Lipsman. She is survived by her children, Sandra Lipsman, Frank Lipsman and Julie Jacobson; her sons and daughters-in-law, David Jacobson, Roger Cramer, Janet Mark and Linda Manning; her grandchildren, Jacob, Wynne, Jeremy, Danielle and Daniel; her sister, Helene Roberts; her brothers and sisters-in-law Carol Seidenfeld, Frances Lipsman, Milt and Gerri Lipsman, Florence Lipsman, Howard and Jeri Lipsman and John Meade; and numerous cousins, nephews, nieces, grand-nephews and grand-nieces.
Funeral services were held at Dunn’s Funeral Home in Des Moines on Wednesday, Nov. 17.
Anyone who wishes to honor Zeldene’s memory may do so by donating to Tifereth Israel Synagogue or the Heritage Center of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. The family wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Delmar Gardens of Lenexa, Southern Care Hospice and Justin Cosner for their compassionate care of Zeldene.