Dear Members of the Stephen Gaynor School Family,
Miriam (Mimi) Michael, 100 years old and co-founder of Stephen Gaynor School, died peacefully on August 3, 2017. She was born on October 18, 1916. Her first marriage was to Seymour Gaynor, with whom she had two children, Stephen and Gordon. She later married Bert Schoeneman. Stephen predeceased his mother in 1962, and Stephen Gaynor School is named in his honor.
Mimi was a respected and pioneering educator, recognizing the need to serve bright children with language delays when the field of special education was still in its infancy. Stephen Gaynor School grew out of a deep friendship between Mimi, a psychologist, and Yvette Siegel-Herzog, an educator — who met as students at New York University. The pair created an environment where these students could thrive, and the school now serves 385 students from pre-school through middle school.
Mimi is survived by her son Gordon and daughter-in-law Jo Ann, granddaughter Stephanie Frostbaum and her husband Lane, grandson Adam, and grandson Scott and his wife Lauren. Mimi had five great-grandchildren, Cameron, Sophie, Chloe, Dylan, and Sydney.
Memorial donations may be made in Mimi’s name to Stephen Gaynor School, 148 West 90th Street, New York, NY 10024. There will be a celebration of her life held at Stephen Gaynor School on what would have been her 101st birthday, October 18, at 6:00 pm. For more information, contact development@stephengaynor.org or (212) 787-7070 x1118.