Obituary of Betty Joan Stein

Betty Joan Stein, daughter of the late Morris H. Wagman and Selma Schleiff Wagman, passed away on Friday, May 15, 2020, a few days after her 85th birthday, after a long battle with diabetes and its complications. She was the loving wife of Richard M. Stein, who predeceased her. She is survived by her two children, Marjorie and Jerry, and her brother Bob. Born in Brooklyn on May 12, 1935, Betty was a long-time resident of Norwalk, from her early childhood through 2003, when she moved to Stamford. She was a graduate of the UConn class of '57 with a degree in math and a minor in music. She met Richard there and, shortly after graduation, they married, on June 30, 1957. Betty was a math teacher at Staples High School in Westport for many years and at Long Lots Junior High School before that. She was passionate about classical music, especially Opera and Chamber Music, and a talented piano player in her own right (along with flute and recorder). Betty had a wonderful, quirky sense of humor; even in the toughest moments of illness, she continued to make jokes and to try to put others at ease. A small, private family service was held on May 17th. No additional services will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that anyone who wishes to acknowledge Betty do so by making a contribution to either: * Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, which "keeps music alive in our schools by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs, and vital support services to school districts nationwide, giving economically-disadvantaged youth access to the many benefits of music education, leading them to success in school, and inspiring creativity and expression through playing music." https://www.mhopus.org/donate/ * Stamford Hospital, whose extraordinary team of doctors, nurses and staff provided excellent care during multiple visits over the years. https://www.stamfordhospitalfoundation.org/foundation/donate/