Toby Exter
June 1, 2026

TOBY EXTER: The one and only Toby Exter died June 1st, immediately after saying goodbye to each of her three daughters, Rachel (David), Elizabeth (Steve) and Laura (Jack). She was predeceased by her husband Allen who passed in 2003.

Toby was born in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrant parents, Ada Balabanov and Naphtali Gisser. She met her husband Allen Exter when they were students at City College of New York. They married and moved to Boston where they had two daughters. Rachel (made in New York and born in Boston) is the eldest, then sixteen months later, Elizabeth was born. The family moved to Bowie, MD where Toby birthed a third daughter, Laura. Family complete and after receiving a job offer from Westinghouse, Toby and Allen trekked west to Pittsburgh, with three young girls.

Toby raised her family in Whitehall and became involved with activities most meaningful to her. She loved to cook, listen to music, dance, garden, support women's rights and advocate for her favorite political issues. She worked at an office manager/bookkeeper at Ideal Specialty Shoe Company.

In addition to her daughters, Toby is survived by four grandchildren, Max, Lauren, Sophie and Zoe. Her love and legacy will live on in the next generation.

Graveside Service and Interment will be held on Friday, June 5, 2026 at 12 Noon at West View Cemetery of Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4720 Perry Highway Road, Ross Township, PA 15229.

In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to the Alzheimer's Association (https://www.alz.org/donate ) or the ACLU (https://action.aclu.org/give/tribute-aclu-pa).

Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. www.schugar.com

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