Chava C Kantor
September 9, 1953 ~ October 16, 2024
Born in:
San Antonio, Texas
Resided in:
Las Vegas, NV
כ״ט אלול תשי״ג – י״ד תשרי תשפ״ה
9 Sept 1953 – 16 Oct 2024
Chava (Pohl) Kantor was born 9 September 1953 at 9:45am in San Antonio, TX at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), Fort Sam Houston to Carol (Svendsen) Pohl & Anton Robert Pohl, who was stationed there as an army sergeant.
At one week old, the family moved to Omaha, NE where she lived until 1965. She was the oldest of 5 children which included 4 younger brothers: Michael, James, Stephen and Andrew.
Her parents built their house in 1962 in Omaha but moved to Sidney, NE in 1965 when she was 12 years old. During this move, her parents gifted her a horse that she named Heidi. She was involved with 4H and her fondest memories were with Heidi.
It’s also with Heidi that she shared her most harrowing memories. In Sidney in 1969, she was thrown from her horse, hit the ground, was knocked unconscious and stopped breathing. Bystander and friend Ed Brower administered CPR and she was transported by helicopter back to Omaha. For the next six months, she would learn all over again how to read, write, walk, talk and re-learn how to do everything that a normal 15-year-old takes for granted. With the help and support of her community in Sidney, her family and her best friend Geri, Chava pushed herself and overcame unimaginable challenges.
She graduated from St. Patrick’s High School of Sidney, NE in 1971 and enrolled in nursing school. After graduating nursing school in 1972, she moved to Oshkosh, NE then on to Omaha, NE in 1973 where she continued to practice nursing until 1976.
While working as a nurse at MediCenter in Omaha, she met her husband who was the contracted pharmacist at the facility. They married October 12, 1974 on a bridge over Mockingbird Creek in Omaha, NE.
They welcomed their first child, Sarah in 1975 in Omaha. Two years later, they relocated to Palm Desert, CA in 1977. Daughters Hannah & Leah were born in 1978 & 1979, respectively in Palm Springs, CA.
Chava and her family lived in Palm Desert from 1976 to 2016.
Chava was front and center when it came to birthday parties and organizing events for her daughters and friends. Her home was open to everyone and she especially enjoyed Saturday afternoons on Shabbat where friends (and her children’s friends) wouldn’t hesitate to stop by for a quick or lengthy hello and a serving of her delicious mashed potatoes or monkey bread. She treasured spending time with her family, her brothers, cousins and extended family, being able to converse and banter with them for endless hours. To Chava, family was everything and she made a point to visit family often. Family was her home.
Chava loved to learn. Although she kept it well guarded, she was deeply spiritual, enchanted by the deeper meanings in Torah and always eager to learn new insights. Her personal growth in knowledge and understanding of Torah were a priority and she did so with love, respect and reverence. Her day did not begin until after she completed her daily learning. She particularly enjoyed classes given by Rabbi Josh Gordon of Encino, CA, (א״ה).
She was liked by those who met her and she was loved by those who knew her.
In 2016, Chava and her husband moved together to Las Vegas, NV.
During the last months of her life she tended to and supported her husband while he recovered from surgery in multiple hospitals. No matter how tired she was, she showed up every day, if even just to watch tv with him, adjust his pillows or help him have a bite of lunch.
She lived a life filled with blessings, challenges, miracles, laughs, joy and love.
She was grateful to bring her husband home and treasured time with him more than anything.
She left this world peacefully and complete with her husband and soul mate by her side.
She was predeceased by her brother James Pohl (d. 1/16/2009) and her mother Carol Svendsen Pohl (d. 8/22/2015).
She is missed by her father, Anton Robert Pohl; her brothers Mike, Steve & Andy and their families; her daughters Sarah, Hannah & Leah and their families; her 17 grandchildren; 1 great-granddaughter; and her husband and life partner, Richard.
She was 71 years old.
Graveside service was held Monday 19 Tishrei 5785
21 October, 2024 at 1:30pm
Beth David Cemetery
43 N 31st St
Union, NJ 0703
United States
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Chava always smiled when she spoke of her family. My fondest memory is the day Chava and Richard married, at a park in Omaha. It was a beautiful ceremony and she and Richard created a beautiful family and life. May her memory forever be a blessing – yehi zichra baruch.