Shoob, Janice
SHOOB (PARADIES), Janice On the morning of August 22, 2020, the unbreakable spirit of Janice Paradies Shoob finally departed the bedroom of the dream home she designed herself more than 55 years ago. Born in Atlanta on November 23, 1926, Janice (or "Necie" to many of her family and friends) grew up the 4th of five children in a family of Jewish immigrants. Her father, I.J. Paradies, came from South Africa to Atlanta where he met and married Janice's mother Sara. Janice was devoted to her parents and to her four siblings, Evelyn, Dan, Doris, and Jimmy, and they, in turn, doted on her. She attended S.M. Inman Elementary School and went on to Druid Hills High School, where she became a cheerleader. She followed her sisters to Duke University where she graduated with a major in sociology. Looking back on her college years, she often laughed about one of the papers she wrote on "Sexual Frigidity in Women". Returning to Atlanta after graduation, she met and married the young handsome attorney Marvin Shoob who would later go on to become an admired U.S. District Court Judge. She had seen him only briefly before he entered the infantry in 1943 and later received news that he was missing in action. She never heard another word and figured that he had been killed. So, when later she caught a glimpse of him at a party in Atlanta, she couldn't take her eyes off of him, and Marvin couldn't believe his good luck. He figured when he saw her staring: "She must really like me." The truth was that she was shocked to see him alive. They were wed in 1949 and remained married for nearly 67 extraordinary years. Janice had two children, Wendy and Michael, and began playing the role of 50's housewife. She was loving and full of zest and enthusiasm as a Mom and adored her children but she never forgot how glamorous and exciting her single life had been as a young beautiful girl with many admirers and many dates. She liked to say: "I might have been engaged to Marvin, but I couldn't stop dating!" As her children grew up and became more independent, Janice finally had a chance to pursue some of the things she loved: She became active in politics, working for candidates she admired and accompanying her husband who became a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1964. She was beaming her infectious smile when network television cameras captured a glimpse of her in the middle of the Convention Floor. Friends around the country were thrilled to see her and sent dozens of telegrams. A few years later, she hosted an evening for Vice-President Hubert Humphrey at her home. One of her guests, an unknown Jimmy Carter, never forgot that night. He confided to the Vice-President that his mother Lillian was feeling a little lonely and isolated in the Peace Corps in Africa. Vice-President Humphrey promised to make some inquiries and look out for her. He later did exactly that. For many of these years, Janice and Marvin hosted memorable Sunday afternoon soirees around their backyard pool: inviting friends, family and stalwarts of Georgia politics for a crackling afternoon of food, refreshments, and lively discussion and debate. Anyone fortunate enough to attend those gatherings never forgot them. Janice became a guiding force in Briar Patch, a non-profit organization that empowered low-income women who assembled cutting edge designs that were sold throughout Atlanta. Later, she opened her own shops in East Point: Casual Bazaar and Gift Gazebo, and took her sharp eye for design to the new Atlanta Merchandise Mart where she discovered fashions that excited her customers for many years. Years later, she transitioned to "Elan by Janice Paradies Shoob", working out of her basement at home and hiring seamstresses to produce couture fashions which she created for women in her home city and throughout the country. Her twice-yearly fashion shows became an eagerly anticipated event for many Atlanta women anxious to see the latest designs Janice had cooked up. But Janice will be most remembered for her persona: beautiful, elegant, charming, and a "a force of nature" never afraid to offer an opinion or to "speak truth to power" and for the impact she had on so many lives. She was passionate about the people she met her good friends of course, but also the folks she met by chance on the street. If you ever crossed Janice's path, she was ready and willing to engage: There was Joe, the Mac and Jac Laundry deliveryman who picked up her clothes with his delivery truck. She fought with him over politics for years: "Joe, I can't BELIEVE you're voting for" There was Tom McCloud who she loved to talk to as he took care of her pool, and her fearless longtime handyman and pal Rex Friedlein who took care of everything. There was Wayne Bonnett who loved to talk politics between painting jobs and brought his young son over to the house to meet her. She was always curious to know the story of people's lives, and she rarely forgot what they had told her. She was deeply passionate about her family which, if she were really pressed, she would admit to believing was one of the greatest families on earth. She adored her brothers Dan and Jim Paradies of Atlanta and her sister Evelyn of Beverly Hills, California, all of whom predecease her. She had an unbreakable bond of love for sister Doris of Houston, Texas still going strong at 95 and for her cousin Dr. Alan Kaplan also of Houston. She tracked with great interest and gave guidance whenever she could to the lives of every one of her nieces and nephews: Cindy Paradies of Baltimore. Greg Paradies of Atlanta. Jill Paradies of Boca Raton, Florida. Scott and Tom Haber of Houston. Jed Paradies of Tucson, Arizona and his late brother Rick Paradies of Atlanta. Sara Eden of Atlanta. Matt Siegel, Andrea and Denny Luria, all of Los Angeles. And Jodie Skorecki of Houston who worked alongside her in her business for many years and was like a second daughter to her. The great love and adventure of her life was her marriage to Marvin. She adored her family most of all. She is survived by her daughter Judge Wendy Shoob and son-in-law Walter Jospin of Atlanta, her son writer-director Michael Shoob and her daughter-in-law Robin Shoob of Santa Monica and her grandchildren Scott Jospin of Atlanta and Alexandra Jospin of Los Angeles. She is also remembered by her friend, confidante (for 30 years) and later caregiver Cassie Weston, her friend and savvy business manager Betty Black, her lifelong friend June Bishop, her good pals Sam and Colleen Nunn and Joyce Lowenstein and the village of caregivers who so brightened her life in the final years: Mavis Dery, Betty Buckley, Rhonda Hogan, Rebecca Akula, Robert White (who worked for the family for 50 years), Elfreda Ikemonogo, and Nneka Ezeruo. As she always reminded her children and extended family, "Stand up and speak out for what's right!" Janice Paradies Shoob was an inspiration to so many. She changed more lives than she can ever know. In lieu of flowers, you may make a contribution in Janice's memory to Lucy McBath for Congress (LucyforCongress.com), Biden-Harris for President (joebiden.com), the Stacey Abrams' Voter Suppression Project (fairfight.com) or to the charity of your choice.
