Johanna "Hanna" E. (Graham) Schein

Johanna “Hanna” Schein (née Graham) passed away unexpectedly on May 17, 2023. Hanna was born in Philadelphia, PA; the second child borne to John and Margaret (née Taylor) Graham on October 15, 1966.

Hanna was raised in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, a member of St. Anne’s parish and school, and later a graduate of John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School. A savvy entrepreneur at the age of 20, Hanna and then-husband Richard Schein would open her first business, The Bookworm, in Jim Thorpe, PA. The Bookworm would later transform from bookstore to ice-cream parlor and restaurant, renamed Tory’s, and relocated to Ocean City, NJ. There she raised her daughters, Victoria “Tori” and Emily “Vidia”, with frequent visits from beloved step-daughter Jennifer Schein (who precedes her in death).

After the sale of the restaurant, Hanna would continue to share her gastronomic gifts with others throughout the country as she helped shape the catering, nutrition, and dietary departments of universities and assisted living communities alike. She would pioneer programs to ensure people could eat regardless of psychological or physical impairments; she would create recipes from scratch with ingredients nobody else could imagine, for the sole purpose of getting people to enjoy food after they had otherwise despaired due to allergy or disability. Much of her free time was spent experimenting with outlandish and spectacular recipes with her younger daughter.

Hanna had just turned a page in her life, and was set to explore a new chapter beginning in the Summer of 2023. With her fiancé Rob Jacot, Hanna had purchased a home on Smith Island in Maryland, where she would be able to live out her dreams of reading, cooking, and living her life to the fullest.

Hanna will always be remembered by her six beloved siblings as The Peacekeeper, the one who took care of so many. They will remember her sparkling mischievous eyes which would never fail to find fun, and they will remember her unending love of dad-jokes (especially since she could never remember the punchline!). Hanna will be remembered and deeply missed: their Nana, their Hanna-babe, their J’hanna, their Iguana-Juana. Thusly will she be remembered to her 13 nieces and nephews, and 5 great-nieces and great-nephews.

May her memory be a blessing.

Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing Saturday, June 17, 2023 beginning at 9-10:45am in the upper church of St. Anne’s Church 2328 E. Lehigh Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19125. Funeral mass to follow at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, the family humbly and respectfully request memorial contributions towards her final expenses at the link attached. https://www.gofundme.com/f/saying-goodbye-to-hanna For those unable to attend in person, we will be utilizing Facebook Live to stream the service. You must like the McElvarr Funeral Home Facebook page to access. 

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