Lois Ziff

Lois (Miller) Ziff, 89, passed away at her home in Washington, DC, surrounded by family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ida (Cohen) Miller and Frank Miller, brothers, William and Alan, and her husband, George Ziff. She is survived by her children, Fred (Pamela “Moore” Ziff), Lisa, Mauri (Jeff Hamond), and Vikki (John Higi), along with her grandchildren Erik, Sivana, Ilan, and Bridget. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, Lois graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School where she excelled in basketball, softball, and volleyball. She worked at Metropolitan Life until 1956, when she married George Ziff of Greensburg, PA, six months after meeting him on a blind date. In Greensburg, they raised four children and worked side-by-side building successful businesses—including an upscale restaurant, Caesar’s Pub, and Westmoreland Auto, an import car dealership they operated for over 40 years. They were congregants of B’nai Israel Synagogue in Greensburg and later, Beth Israel Synagogue in Latrobe, PA. Lois and George retired in the mid-1990s, dividing their time between homes in Florida and North Carolina, where they attended the Mountain Synagogue in Franklin. Ever adventurous, they often set off on spontaneous drives and road trips with no destination in mind. In 2011, George passed away; the couple had been married for 55 years. In 2022, Lois relocated to Washington, DC to be near more family. There, she maintained her competitive spirit, enjoying nightly card games or mahjong, winning more frequently than not. While playing, she delighted in relaying stories ranging from how actor Jeff Goldblum’s grandmother took her under her wing (and occasionally asked her to babysit the future movie star) to how she was the first in town to don a mini-skirt. Lois kept her fiercely independent spirit, sense of humor, and, of course, her signature red hair until the end. May her memory be a blessing. A private service will be held at B’nai Israel Cemetery in Greensburg. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Pliskover Association, of which Lois was a lifelong member: https://www.pliskover.com/donations.php.