Irving Zisselman

OBITUARY:

Irving Lewis Zisselman of Dunwoody, Georgia, passed away on Wednesday April 15th. His life partner Barbara was at his side.

Irv was the loving son of Lillian & Benjamin and the brother of Arnie (Susan) Zisselman. Irv was a devoted partner, poppi, brother, uncle, and friend who approached life with an equal measure of passion and humor. He was loved fiercely by his life partner Barbara Libowsky Watson, with whom he shared worldwide travel, adoring children and grandchildren, and a passion for Sports.

A New York native, he graduated first from James Madison High School and then from SUNY Buffalo and went on to get a Masters in Education from Georgia State before embarking on a productive and gratifying career as a teacher and then administrator in the Georgia public school system. Always passionate about history and sports, Irv continued embracing these upon retiring from the education system by refereeing Georgia high school basketball games, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and other natural wonders and rooting on his beloved Atlanta Braves with season tickets in Atlanta and a visit to every MLB ballpark in the country.

Many of those who Irv touched have reached out in the days following his passing, reminding everyone the impact he had as a teacher, administrator, and friend. As one former student said “Teachers make a difference. They are beyond essential”. Irv was that essential teacher and person to so many, he will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the Emory Winship Cancer Center, a place that treated Irv with kindness and compassion throughout his courageous battle with the disease.