It has been a sad week for one Fox News star.
Esther Ferris, the mother and “hero” of Judge Jeanine Pirro, host of Justice with Judge Jeanine, has passed away at age 90.
Pirro informed supporters of the passing via Twitter and Facebook posts honoring her mother. The cause of death, she revealed, was pancreatic cancer.
Remembering Esther Ferris
Ferris spent the majority of her life in Elmira, New York, where both Jeanine and her sister, Mary Louise Gershowitz, grew up. However, Ferris, herself, was born in Cortland, New York and grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. For a period of time, she worked in New York City as a model. “She was a very beautiful person, both inside and out,” wrote Pirro.
More recently, she was a “passionate volunteer in her community,” devoting her time both to St. Joseph’s Hospital as a Pink Lady and also to the Arnot Art Museum as a Women’s Auxiliary. Her other passion was gardening, her “delight,” which she did on her own until recently, even winning first prize in the Elmira Garden Tour at 88 years of age.
It’s no wonder that Pirro referred to her mother as “spry,” revealing that, in addition to the gardening, she continued tackling such tasks as shoveling snow and managing the family’s properties right up until her illness prevented her from doing so.
Pirro’s loses her “hero”
Pirro says that her mother was the inspiration for her legal career, which has included time spent as both a prosecutor and judge. “She was my muse, my hero,” Pirro wrote.
But, of course, one’s mother is much more than that.
“I have lost my best friend,” she said. “My mother stood up for the victim, for the abused, before it was vogue. She was a great influence on me and everyone around her.”
“She took care of the people who couldn’t take care of themselves,” Pirro continued. “She taught me how to fight for the underdog.”
Final farewell
A funeral was held for Ferris on Friday at the Graham Funeral Home in Rye, New York. Pirro has asked that contributions be made to the Chemung County SPCA, an animal assistance program.
Esther leaves behind sisters Jeanine Shahin, Nelly Charlies, Edna Mizher, daughters Jeanine Pirro and Mary Louise Gershowitz and grandchildren Cristine Pirro Schwarzman, Esq. and Alexander Ferris Pirro.
Our prayers are with Pirro and her family.
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