Tobye Joachim

Tobye Fram Joachim, 88, was the matriarch of her family. She passed away suddenly on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Houston, Texas. Tobye was born on July 13, 1936, in Goose Creek, now Baytown, Texas to Julius and Helen Fram (of blessed memory). Tobye graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Goose Creek, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin, where during her second year she met the love of her life, Mortimer Joachim. They later married and began their life together in Dallas, Texas. Before starting a family, Tobye completed her undergraduate degree at SMU. Soon after that Tobye and Mort would add a son, Jeff, and then two more daughters, Karen and Linda, to their family. Tobye often said that school was a part of her life, either going to school, or being involved in the school system. She worked for one year in Dallas as a speech therapist before starting her family and continued her career after moving to Houston as a speech therapist. While raising her family, she also managed to find the time to obtain a master’s degree in special education. As a speech pathologist and later as an educational diagnostician and special education supervisor, she worked with children all over Houston for over 35 years. Even after she retired, Tobye continued as a part time speech therapist with HISD, serving her neighborhood schools for another 13 years. As a loving wife, sister, mother, and grandmother, she cherished spending time with her family. Mort, her loving husband for 67 years, and her dear children, Jeffrey, Karen, and Linda, were the most important people in her life - followed by her eight grandchildren. Holidays were mandatory for all family members to attend. Nothing was more important than getting the family together. Tobye would spend hours on every holiday detail, from the food to setting the table, to hand-written place cards for every person. She was a voracious reader and was a part of several book clubs. When she became a grandmother, her greatest love was spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Whether she was cooking decadent meals, or serving her famous pumpkin or pecan pies, all family members would vie for the last piece. All the grandkids regularly visited Grandma and Grandpa at their home. Her greatest accomplishment is the closeness of her family. Tobye always felt grateful that her mother, her three siblings, and their families were all so close, not only in feeling, but in physical proximity as well. Life and holidays were often celebrated together and continue to be cherished by the four generations of family living in Houston. For close to 40 years, 4 generations have descended upon Galveston for the Annual Family Beach Trip. This summer Tobye and Mort would have celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary. Tobye was preceded in death by her parents, Julius and Helen Fram; her brothers, Lewis Fram and Jerome Fram; her sister, Betty Weiner; and her grandson, Jonathan Finkelman, all of blessed memory. She is survived by her three children, Jeff Joachim (Kimberly), Karen Finkelman-Hasson (Steve Hasson), and Linda Kantor (Curtis); and her beloved grandchildren, David Finkelman (Jennifer), Jason Joachim (Kayli), Joshua Finkelman (Paige), Jeremy Joachim (Rebeka), Brooke Kantor (Jerry Nimmo), Adam Finkelman, and Sean Kantor; her nine precious great grandchildren; her children’s blended family members; and countless extended family. As Tobye was a lifetime member of Hadassah, in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hadassah, www.hadassah.org, or Camp Young Judaea, www.cyjtexas.org. A graveside service took place on Monday, April 7, 2025 at Beth Yeshurun Post Oak Cemetery, 7445 Awty School Ln., Houston, Texas, 77055.

Tobye Joachim

July 13, 1936 - April 5, 2025