Vivian Schachter, cafeteria worker at Glen Head School, dies at 94

Vivian Schachter adored Mallomars. She also loved making children smile on the lunch line and made strangers feel less alone at the park. According to her family, Schachter’s heart was big enough to hold love for everyone.

The Glen Head resident died on April 7 of natural causes. She was 94.

Schachter was born in Brooklyn on Nov. 9, 1929, and considered herself a Brooklynite, despite spending the majority of her life on Long Island, her family said. After graduating from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn, Schachter worked for 25 years in the cafeteria and playground at Glen Head School. After her retirement, she was called back to fill in at the same job in Glenwood Landing School in the same district and stayed for another 10 years.

Schachter and her late husband, Mel met on a blind date and were married on Nov. 4, 1951. After their wedding, the Schachters moved to Long Island, first to Roslyn and then to Glen Head where they would raise their three children: Saul, Marjorie and Louise. (Mel Schachter died in 2012.)

“Mom was very loving and caring, but what most impressed me was how many of the neighborhood kids and my cousins that she took, very quietly, under her wing,” said her son, Saul Schachter, of Sea Cliff, who recalled a story of his mother's selflessness. “When I was around 24, Mom and I went skating at Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn, when she noticed a young woman, being helped around the rink by a friend. Her name was Gareth Guy and she had lost her vision to diabetes in college. Mom skated over, took her arm, and skated around the rink. They became friends and every Wednesday, Mom took Gareth skating. In the summer, she took Gareth swimming and when it rained, they went shopping. They did this for nearly 40 years until Gareth passed in 2020.”

Jeanie Riso, 52, of Glen Head, lived a few blocks from Schachter. The two originally met playing tennis at the Glen Head Racquet Club. 

Great role model

“I played tennis with her 24 years ago. She was the cutest little lady, just very sweet,” said Riso, who often thought of Schachter as a second mother. “She gave great advice. She was a great friend, and very funny. Just a great role model to me.”

When Schachter's husband passed away, Riso called her every day to check in on her. “We would talk on the phone for hours,” said Riso.

“She was a big part of my life and I miss hearing her voice every day,” said Riso. “We enjoyed each other's phone calls and even though we were 40 years apart in age, we had a very special relationship.”

For the past four and a half years, Schachter called the Regency Assisted Living in Glen Cove home. She enjoyed ice skating, spending time with family and friends, and still appreciated Mallomars.

“She loved those cookies but they are only available in the fall. I learned over the years that when her birthday came in November, she thought flowers were OK, but she loved Mallomars. And, that's what she got,” said her son.

 Schachter's selflessness and caring heart extended to those she had never met. Once a year, Schachter would visit her late husband and other family members at Mount Ararat Cemetery. According to her son, one year as they were leaving, Schachter noticed a single grave in the middle of the cemetery.

“We didn't have any friends or relatives nearby, but mom asked me to stop the car,” said Schachter's son. “We discovered it was the grave of a young man killed in World War II. Mom thought it was sad that he was by himself. So, during our annual sojourn, Mom and I would visit 'her soldier.' ” 

In addition to her son, Schachter is survived by her two daughters and a granddaughter. She was interred at Mount Ararat Cemetery in East Farmingdale.