Former retailer, realtor Shirley Bersadsky Bronston Goldman is laid to rest

SHIRLEY BERSADSKY BRONSTON GOLDMAN passed away on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. She was 96 years old.

SHIRLEY GOLDMAN

A New Orleans native, she was an original “Quiz Kid” after competing on the popular radio show of the same name in the 1940s. She graduated from Sophie B. Wright High School in New Orleans and Newcomb College, where she majored in history and was a member of the acapella choir. She later obtained a masters degree in retailing from New York University.

During a long and storied business career, she worked primarily in retailing for some of the area’s most well-known organizations, including Maison Blanche, Godchaux’s, The Wiener Corporation (Shoe Town, Shoe Lodge, The Ranch) and Adler’s Jewelers. At Maison Blanche, she started off as a “stock girl” and rose to become the senior ladies clothing buyer and department manager, which required her to attend clothing markets in New York and Dallas several times a year to check out the latest fashion trends. As head of ladies’ merchandise for The Wiener Corporation, she was one of the highest-ranking female business executives in New Orleans.

In her late 40’s, she decided to take on a new challenge, opening her own women’s clothing boutique called Shirley’s Girls, located next to Camellia Grill on Carrollton Avenue. After successfully operating the boutique for several years, she decided to leave retail and attend school to become a real estate agent.

As a residential agent with Latter & Blum, she successfully represented buyers and sellers in numerous transactions until she decided to retire. But retirement didn’t agree with her, so she took a job at Adler’s Jewelers in the china and giftware section where she remained for over 10 years. She was a woman ahead of her time and everything she accomplished was the result of a combination of grace, intelligence and fierce determination.

Her favorite hobbies were reading, listening to classical music, watching old movies (especially musicals), reading the Wall Street Journal, cheering on the Saints and the Pelicans, and attending concerts sponsored by New Orleans Friends of Music, an organization she supported for over 50 years. She was an avid mahjong player and even won a mahjong tournament at the Jewish Community Center. She also loved to travel, journeying to places such as China, Russia, Egypt, Italy, France, Peru, Mexico and Hawaii.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Goldman.

She is survived by her children Robin Bronston, Eddie Bronston and Ben Bronston (Micki), three grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

A visitation was held on Sunday, June 22, 2025 at Tharp Funeral Home, 1600 N. Causeway Blvd., followed by a private graveside service at Hebrew Rest Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Congregation Gates of Prayer, New Orleans Friends of Music or The American Cancer Society. Expressions of love and sympathy may be placed and viewed at www.tharpcares.com.