Obituaries

George J. Cort of West Palm Beach, Florida died peacefully on August 26, 2018. He was 82.  George was born and raised in Boston, and it was the piano at a local YMHA that was the start of his illustrious career in the music industry. His performances included playing at the White House for Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, and a special appearance for Ronald Reagan at the Kennedy Center.  He spent years as the Music Director at the Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, DC, at the Rainbow Room at Rockefller Center and the Waldorf Astoria in New York. George’s genuine outgoing personality left a lasting impression on everyone he met. His passion for music was matched only by his passion for family. He was the dear son of the late Samuel Jacob Cort and Dorothy (Gordon) Cort. Dear uncle of Lorna Cort Macleod and her husband David L. Macleod, Ronald Cort, Clifford Cort and his wife Carey, Jack Cort and his wife Jeanine, and Glenn Cort and his wife Brooke. Great uncle of Shaina and Leah, Jason and Amanda, Vail and Caroline, Matthew and Cameron, Katelyn, John and Michael. Dear great-great uncle of Elsa and Max. Loving brother of William Cort, and the late Selma Romanow and Arthur Cort. Services at Sharon Memorial Park Chapel, 43 Dedham St., Sharon, on Thursday, August 30, 2018 at 12 noon. Following interment, memorial observance will be at the home of Jack and Jeanine Cort until 8 pm. In lieu of flowers remembrances in his memory may be made to the New England Conservatory of Music, 290 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115.

Marvin P. Dobrow, LSW, of Natick, on August 27, 2018. Beloved husband of Mindy C. (Lightman) Dobrow. Father of Lisa Braunstein Cohen and her husband David and their children Rachel, Joey, and Jordi; Andrew Braunstein, and Michael Braunstein. Brother of the late Estelle Schles. Also survived by his faithful companions, Adam, Oliver, Lincoln, Elliott, Abala, and Winston. Services at Beit Olam East Cemetery, 42 Concord Rd., Wayland, Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at 10:00 am. Following interment, memorial observance will be held at the home of Mindy Dobrow until 6 pm and on Thursday 2-6 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 300 5^th Ave., Suite 6, Waltham, MA 02451.

Dr. Ralph S. Levitt, 86, of Sarasota FL, died Friday, August 24, 2018 at Care Dimensions Hospice House. He was the widower of the late Betty Levitt. Born in Worcester, MA, son of the late Arthur Levitt and Dorothy (Millen) Levitt Ratner, he lived in Florida since 2001. and was a member of Temple Beth Sholom, Sarasota. He is survived by his sister, Sylvia (Ratner) Brown of San Antonio, TX, his two children, Alisa Billings of Ashland MA and David Levitt of Greenfield MA, and 8 grandchildren. A graveside service will be held Monday, August 27, 2018 at 2 pm at the Hebrew Cemetery, Newburyport MA. Shiva will be observed at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Richard W. Billings, 16 Lantern Way, Ashland MA. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237.

Lawrence Chanzit, of Delray Beach, FL, passed away on August 23, 2018. Beloved husband of the late Estelle Rose Chanzit. Devoted father of Conrad Chanzit and his wife Lisa, Martin Chanzit and his wife Bonnie, and Claudia Raffman and her husband Mark. Proud grandfather of Warren, Ben, Scott, Samantha, David, and Alison. Brother of the late Jerome Chanzit, and the late Selma Robbins. Services at the Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Rd., Newton, MA on Tuesday, August 28, 2018 at 10 am. Following interment at Beit Olam Cemetery, 60 Old Sudbury Rd., Wayland, MA, memorial observance will be at the home of Conrad and Lisa Chanzit until 7 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, or the charity of your choice.

David S. Freedman, of Framingham, on August 23, 2018. Beloved husband of Florence (Adler) Freedman. Devoted father of Marci S. Jakutis and her late husband John A. Jakutis. Loving grandfather of Michael A. Jakutis and Jennifer S. Jakutis. Dear brother of the late Carl Frydman, Helen Weisbaum, and Sally Rotman. Brother-in-law of Esther Levi and her late husband Ralph. Graveside service at the Framingham-Natick Jewish Cemetery, 40 Fairview Ave., Natick, Sunday, August 26, 2018 at 1:00 pm. Memorial observance at his late residence on Sunday, 3-6 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. Late manager for John Hancock Insurance Co. for over 30 years.

Actress and philanthropist, Vivian Marlowe Shoolman, 86, of Brookline, MA passed away peacefully on August 21, 2018. Born December 10,1931 in Holyoke, MA. Dearly loved wife of the late Theodore Shoolman.

A graduate of Emerson College, Vivian worked as a professional actress in theatre, television and film. Her credits include performing with Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Jimmy Durante as a Copacabana girl in New York. Vivian was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Actors’ Equity and A.F.T.R.A.

A life-long supporter of the performing arts, Vivian served as President and long-standing Member of the Board of Trustees for the Boston Children’s Theater. In 2009, “The Vivian Marlowe Shoolman Award” was created in Vivian’s honor for her outstanding support of children and the arts. A passionate alumna of Emerson College,  in 2007, the ” Vivian Marlowe Shoolman Performing Arts Award” was established at Emerson college to recognize an outstanding student of the performing arts.

Vivian will be remembered for her compassion, kindness and generous heart. She was the extraordinary mother to Tracy Shoolman, Wendy and Bill Coke, and Diana Shoolman, and an amazing grandmother to Trevor and Pierce Keegan, the late Marina Keegan, Hamilton and Barrett Coke. She will be profoundly missed by all who loved her. Services were private.

Donations in her honor may be made to: “Emerson College for the benefit of The Vivian Marlowe Shoolman Performing Arts Award”, Emerson College 120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. 617-824-8535

Charlotte “Betty” Farber Bloomberg, age 100, of Brookline, Palm Beach, and Nantucket, died on August 18, 2018. Beloved wife of the late Goodwin A. Bloomberg. Devoted mother of Marjie Kargman and her husband Robert; Michael Bloomberg and his wife Ellen Shapiro; and the late Caren “Candy” Bloomberg. Cherished grandmother of Harry Kargman and his wife Jill; Lena Doten and her husband Michael; Bess Kargman and her husband Matthew Orlando; Sophie Kargman; Lindsey Bloomberg and her fiancée Brian Marks; and Matthew Bloomberg. Loving great-grandmother of Sadie, Ivy, Fletcher, Lucy, Theodore, and Ava. Sister of the late Dorothy, Leonard, and Marvin Farber. Graveside services at the Newton Cemetery, 791 Walnut St., Newton, on Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at 11:00 am. Memorial observance will be directly after the service at the residence of Michael Bloomberg and Ellen Shapiro until 9 pm.

Goodman, E. Stephen, of Natick, MA, on August 17, 2018. Beloved husband for 56 years of Carolyn (Labins) Goodman. Devoted father of Jeffrey Goodman, Alissa Talamo, and Alan Goodman. Proud grandfather of Jessica, Benjamin, Ethan, and Joshua Goodman, and Ilana Talamo. Stephen graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor’s of Science in 1955. He served in the Army from 1956-1958 as a pilot and instrument flight instructor. Funeral service at Temple Israel of Natick, 145 Hartford St., Natick, MA, on Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 1:30 pm. Following interment at Agudath Israel Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury, Shiva will be at the Goodman residence. In lieu of flowers, donations in Stephen’s memory may be made to Adopt a Family, c/o Temple Israel of Natick, 145 Hartford St., Natick, MA 01760, or  American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.

Greenleaf, Carole (Seiler), of Newton and Wayland, MA, on August 15, 2018. Beloved wife of Sidney J. Greenleaf. Devoted mother of Robin Greenleaf and her husband Joel Goodmonson, Jonathan Greenleaf and his wife Lisa, and Steven Greenleaf and his wife Jill. Proud bubby of Julia, Madison, Zachary, Caroline, and Daniel. Loving sister of Joyce Wernik. Service at Congregation Or Atid, 97 Concord Rd., Wayland, MA, on Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 12:00 noon. Immediately following interment at Beit Olam East Cemetery, 42 Concord Rd., Wayland, memorial observance will be at the home of Robin and Joel until 8:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Carole’s memory may be made to Joslin Diabetes Center, 1 Joslin Pl., Boston, MA 02215.

Ya’acov (Jacob) Shorr, of Hingham, formerly of Lexington, died peacefully at home surrounded by his children on August 12, 2018. He was 88 years old.

Born in Jerusalem on January 13, 1930, Ya’acov was the youngest of six children. He was married for 63 years to the late Yehudit Ruth (Scharf) Shorr, and was the devoted father of Eran Shorr and his wife Esther Shorr, Maya Shorr Katz and her husband Ronald Katz, and Yoav Shorr and his wife Anne Schwartz. He was the cherished grandfather of seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Ya’acov served valiantly and was wounded in Israel’s Independence War in 1947. He graduated from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where he studied chemistry, and eventually specialized in and did pioneering work in membrane technology and industrial wastewater treatment. Ya’acov immigrated with Yehudit and their three children to the Boston area in 1967 shortly after the Six Day War, where they settled in Lexington for the next 40 years. During this time, Ya’acov founded and built Memtek Corporation, continuing his work in his field.

Ya’acov and Yehudit spent the last ten years at Linden Ponds Retirement Community in Hingham. An avid photographer, he exhibited his works a number of times. He also hosted a

weekly community television program on recent scientific developments.

Graveside services at Beit Olam East Cemetery, 42 Concord Rd., Wayland, on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, at 12:00 noon. Following interment, memorial observance will be at the home of Yoav Shorr and Anne Schwartz, 11 Hunt St., Reading, MA, until 4 pm and 6:30-9 pm with a Minyan service at 7:30 pm continuing on Thursday 12-2 pm and 6-9 pm with a Minyan service at 7:30 pm. Additional memorial observance will be held at the home of Eran and Esther Shorr, 90 Charles Circle, Stoughton, MA, on Sunday and Monday 12-2 pm and 6-9 pm with a Minyan service at 7:30 pm. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to a charity of one’s own choosing