Hyla Fern (Goldstein) Melnick

WORCESTER - Hyla Fern Goldstein Melnick died at her home at the Willows Retirement Community in Worcester, MA on November 14, 2022. She was 91. Hyla is survived by her sons Richard P. Melnick (Lynn Andrea Stein) of Lexington, MA, Kenneth S. Melnick (Laura Schroder) of Worcester, MA, and Andrew D. Melnick of Denver, CO as well as her grandchildren Sara, Miriam (Marc Howard), Joshua, Caroline, and Jacob Melnick, and great-granddaughters Kaylee and Alana Howard.

Hyla was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on October 16, 1931, the daughter of Saul and Fannie Ruth Goldstein. She grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and attended Peabody High School (1949) and Carnegie Mellon University (BFA 1953). She was a talented pianist from a young age and demonstrated this through playing and teaching. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, she was part of a two-piano team with Annabelle Joseph who performed and toured around Pittsburgh. For most of her life, she gave piano lessons, either independently or through music schools.

In 1963, she married Robert N. Melnick (Bob), and they built a life together in Larchmont, NY for 52 years (and continuing in Worcester MA until Bob’s death in 2019). Hyla gave piano lessons out of her home for the entire time. She was active in local music organizations including the Westchester Musicians Guild that she served as Treasurer and President. She taught both children and adults – instilling her love of music and a sense of discipline that comes from practice and hard work. Until a few days before she died, she sat at the piano for up to an hour a day, as that brought real meaning to her life. For years a cartoon strip from Peanuts sat above her piano: One character asks another what happens if you practice piano for 20 years and don’t end up rich and famous; the other answers, “the joy is in the playing.” For Hyla, the joy was always in the playing.

Hyla was a fiercely devoted and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother—always supporting and doing what she could to teach and inspire her offspring to reach their goals. She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren—cherishing the time she had with all of them.

Hyla’s passions included family, music, theater, friends, travel, puzzles, cooking, debating, reading newspapers and watching movies. She loved nothing more than spending time with friends and family sharing activities and discussing these many topics. A special talent she had was writing beautiful and heartfelt notes which were absolutely worth keeping.

Funeral will be held at Temple Isaiah, 55 Lincoln Street in Lexington MA on Thursday November 17, 2022, at noon. Shiva will take place at 252 East Emerson Road, Lexington, MA on Thursday 7-9, Friday 2-4, and Sunday 4-6. Arrangements are in the care of Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden, MA 01520.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Planned Parenthood, the Anti-Defamation League, Westchester Musicians Guild, or a charity of your choice in her honor.