Marsha Yaschik Kronick

Marsha Yaschik Kronick, 81, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 18, 2024. Her funeral service will be held graveside Wednesday, August 21, 2024 in Brith Sholom Beth Israel Cemetery at 10:00 am. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel. 

A Charlestonian through and through, Marsha, was quick to share that she was born on the evening of Purim, March 21, 1943 at “Old” St. Francis on Ashley Avenue to Henry Yaschik and Sylvia Vlosky Yaschik. The middle daughter of three daughters, she joined her older sister, Anne (Chana), and the daughters welcomed their younger sister, Bonnie, a few years later. 

Growing up in Windermere and then moving to Wagner Terrace, Marsha attended Charleston Hebrew Kindergarten, Ashley Hall, James Simmons Elementary, and graduated from M. Rutledge Rivers High School. After Rivers, she attended Becker Junior College and graduated from Palmer College. An enthusiastic volunteer, Marsha donated countless hours to the American Red Cross and the physical therapy clinic at Roper Hospital. 

Meeting a young Air Force Officer in 1969 and becoming engaged shortly thereafter, Marsha married Richard A. Kronick in March of 1970 which allowed her to leave Charleston and live in places such as Arizona, Texas, the Philippines, and Florida. During this time, she gave birth to two children, Rachel and Marcus. As a young mother and wife, she volunteered in her children’s schools and with the American Red Cross in the records department of the base hospital. 

Upon her husband’s retirement, she returned to Charleston. Returning allowed her to become active with Brith Shalom Beth Israel (BSBI) Sisterhood and Hadassah. With BSBI Sisterhood, she visited Jewish patients on a weekly basis in the local hospitals for many years and in 2003 took over the Orthograms (anniversary wishes) and Birthday Grams. She viewed the Orthograms and Birthday Grams as the family business since her mother started this project for the sisterhood and her sister, Anne, also volunteered with this committee. Of the family contribution, she took on this role the longest. She handled these greetings for over twenty years, sending them out by US Mail, until she transitioned to hospice in June of this year. Marsha knew everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries until the very end. She also could explain family trees of many Charleston families with precise detail. Her work for BSBI Sisterhood was recognized in 2011 when the Charleston Jewish Women’s Organizations honored her with the award of a Woman Who Makes A Difference. 

Before moving to her senior living community, Marsha was a known fixture in Sandhurst. She would ride her bicycle multiple miles in the neighborhood daily as a form of exercise. In addition, she was a devoted reader of the Charleston Post and Courier and would cut out countless wedding and engagement announcements, obituaries and articles about people she knew.

Short in stature but tall in Charleston pride, she was a woman who liked to do mitzvot (good deeds) like give small gifts to children (so they could have the thrill of opening a gift), collect aluminum cans for the St. Andrews Fire Department (for burn victims) and donate can tabs to the Ronald McDonald House. Her parents exemplified philanthropy and Marsha’s contribution to society was her way of tikkun olam or repairing the world and making it a better place.

The family would like to thank Yolanda Jenkins-Shine, her trusted senior companion, for taking great care of her for the past few years, Judy Hinman, for her wise counsel, Jewish Family Services of Charleston, and her caring medical team including but not limited to Dr. Keith Lackey, Dr. Jaimin Patel, and Dr. Brad Kalinsky.

Mrs. Kronick was predeceased by her loving parents, Henry and Sylvia Yaschik, her devoted husband, Richard A. Kronick, her sister, Anne (Chana) Yaschik and her nephew, Mathew Silverman. She is survived by her daughter, Rachel Kronick Rothbart (James), her son, Marcus Kronick, her grandchildren, Hayley and David Rothbart, of Los Angeles, California, her sister, Bonnie Y. Friedman (Richard), of Brookline, Massachusetts. In addition, she is survived by her nephews and their families (Keith Silverman, Michael Friedman and Andrew Friedman). She also leaves behind countless cousins and beloved friends. 

In lieu of flowers, the family would request that donations be made in her memory to the Yaschik/Arnold Jewish Studies Program at the College of Charleston (give.cofc.edu/Jewish-Life) or Jewish Family Services of Greater Charleston (www.charlestonjfs.org/support-us)

To keep her memory alive, we would also ask you to think of how Marsha touched your life and perform a good deed in her honor.