Rosita Gaon

Rosita Gaon of Houston, Texas passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on January 26, 2019 at the age of 93. She will be remembered as an adoring wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and great grandmother, as well as a passionate leader in the Houston Jewish community. Rosita was born on June 13, 1925 to Sofia and Miguel Guefen in Konigsberg, Germany. She spent her early childhood in Kaunas (Kovno), Lithuania before her family immigrated to Mexico City in 1929, having been turned away from Boston due to an immigration cap on Lithuanians in the U.S. at the time. She grew up in Mexico City alongside brothers Gregory Guefen and Max Guefen (Karel) of blessed memory, and Ben Guefen (Arline) who lives in Houston. In Mexico City she met and married Benito Singer, with whom she raised four children: Ruth Singer, Mauricio Singer, and Arturo Singer, all of blessed memory, and Daniel Singer (Stella), who survives his mother in Houston. Rosita later married her adoring husband Albert Gaon, of blessed memory, and moved to Houston in 1972. Albert and his "Shankheit", Rosita, would go on to dedicate their time to helping support and grow their community. She was passionate about the arts and served on the Board of the Houston Grand Opera and fundraised for the Wortham Theater Center. Most important to her was the strength of the Jewish community both locally and in Israel, and she focused significant time and energy on growing the arts programs at the Houston JCC, bringing famous artists to exhibit there, including Yaacov Agam. She leaves behind her devoted grandchildren Lauren Harris (Brian), Robyn Singer, Roselle Oberstein (Jacob), Albert Singer (Victoria), Ruthie Vysotskiy (Andrew), Rina Trakhtenberg (Leon) Daniella Waknin (Or), and David Singer (Hava). In addition, she is survived by her loving great-grandchildren, Alexandra and Aaron Harris, Julissa and Talia Oberstein, Samantha Singer, and Ariel Trakhtenberg. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, January 27 at 2:30pm at Beth Yeshurun Post Oak Cemetery located at 1037 Post Oak Road, Houston, TX 77055. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the Rosita and Albert Gaon Jewish Heritage Fund at the Jewish Community Center Houston or Beth Yeshurun.

Rosita Gaon

June 13, 1925 - January 26, 2019