Toni Schiff, long time resident of Provincetown, passed away peacefully in the presence of loved ones on March 6, 2013. Born July 24, 1931 in Washington, DC, she was the daughter of Florence and Frank Fields. Toni graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Early Childhood Education. After working as a teacher and counselor for many years, she returned to school, earning a Master’s Degree in Feminist Therapy at Goddard-Cambridge College in Cambridge, MA. As a psychotherapist Toni had a flourishing private practice until she retired in 1998.
Toni was an advocate for human rights throughout her life. She loved children and worked tirelessly to help assure their education and safety as a Head Start teacher and founding member of the Child Abuse and Neglect Council of New York State. Toni promoted women’s rights as a lesbian feminist activist, and was an advocate for people with disabilities. She was as a founding member the Women’s Counseling Collective in Albany, NY and the group Older Lesbian Energies (OLE) in the Boston area. Toni chaired the Provincetown Disabilities Commission and the Board of the Soup Kitchen in Provincetown, MA.
Toni had a deep love for music and the arts. She was a founding board member of Music Mobile in Albany, NY. She also was an artist herself. Although she lost her vision shortly after turning 50, and was later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she never lost her interest in art, and became a prolific painter in her later years. With the assistance of Kerry Castle she was able to experience the joy of painting right up to the end of her life.
Toni is survived by her loving partner of 35 years, Mary Ellen Henry; her daughter, Nancy Schiff, and husband Ben Cohen of Brighton, MA; and her son, Tom Schiff, and wife Amy Altwarg and children Reesa and Paige of Montague, MA. She also is survived by a large community of friends. Toni’s warmth and resiliency inspired people who knew her. We all will miss her deeply. Toni’s family and friends are especially grateful to Jo Ann Heiser for all she has done to assure Toni’s safe passage through her most vulnerable years.
A celebration of life will take place May 4 in Provincetown.
A fund is being established in Toni's name for the purpose of providing opportunities for creative expression for people with disabilities. For more information contact [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, please make it a habit to visit someone in a nursing home