Arlene Ann Bershof, a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, talented artist and teacher, died peacefully at her Denver home on July 30, 2013. She was 86. At her request, there was no funeral service. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Arlenes life was full and busy and overflowed with love and friendship, the family said. Her art manifested those themes in scenes of daily activities such as bathing and hair brushing.
Arlene was born in 1926 in Brooklyn, NY, to Sam and Minnie Fox. She lived in Brooklyn until she was 16.
In 1942, she moved with her family to Los Angeles, Calif., where she attended UCLA.
Arlene met Dr. Edward (Eddie) Bershof in 1945. They fell in love, married immediately and settled in Denver.
While she cared for her five children, she enrolled in classes to complete her BA. She obtained a masters in education and then a masters in art history from DU in 1972.
Arlene taught at George Washington High from 1966-1986. Adored by her students and colleagues, she helped inspire a new generation of students.
A scholar of art history, she was a talented painter who constructed large-frame oil paintings until the end of her life. She greatly admired the Japanese artist Harunobu, Georgia OKeefe, Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo.
Impressionism, Modernism and Fauvism influenced her early work, as did the artists Henri Matisse and Gustav Klimt. Many of her later paintings featured spacious scenes of Japanese women wearing ornately patterned, vividly colored kimonos.
After retiring from teaching, Arlene spent many joyful years with Eddie traveling around the world to Hawaii, Mexico, France, Italy, Israel, Jordan, Russia and China.
She loved playing bridge with her friends, was passionate about politics, and loved her Jack Russell Terrier, Willie.
Arlene is survived by her brother Harry Fox of Los Angeles; her five children Jim (Shelley) Bershof of Denver, Pegi (Michael) Touff of Denver, Nancee Bershof (the late Leonard Kramer) of Greenfield, Mass., Judy Bershof of Denver and John (Susan Strasburg) of Denver; and grandchildren Scott and Sam Bershof, Daniel and Katherine Touff, Avi and Mattea Kramer and Estee and Eva Bershof.
Contributions may be made to MaxFund Animal Shelter; Denver Public Schools Foundation; or The Denver Hospice.
Copyright © 2013 by the Intermountain Jewish News
