Obituaries

Of Lexington, on December 2, 2017. Beloved wife of Charles Brecher. Mother of Jonathan and Andrew. Grandmother of Dori. Services at Temple Emunah, 9 Piper Rd., Lexington, Monday, December 4, 2017 at 1:00 pm. Interment will follow at Beit Olam Cemetery, Wayland. Memorial observance will be at the Brecher residence, 1010 Waltham St., Lexington, Monday from 7-9 pm and Tuesday – Thursday, 2-4 & 7-9 pm. Minyan service will be held each evening at 7:45 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.

Darius Dabruvka and Farhoud Moshfegh.Dear brother of Sarvenaz and Ottessa Moshfegh .Graveside services were held at Beit Olam East Cemetery.

This story was written by Werner’s granddaughter Beckie Moses

 Werner Herbert Gumpertz of West Newton, Massachusetts died on Friday, December 1, 2017. He passed peacefully while holding his wife Susan’s hand and surrounded by his family.

Werner was born on December 26, 1917 in Berlin, Germany to his parents Richard and Olga Gumpertz. His younger brother, the late Gerard “Mohamed” Gumpertz, was born four years later.

One thing was clear from an early age: Werner was born to be an engineer. He was particularly fascinated with trains and railway systems. One of his most beloved pastimes was setting up his electric railroads during the holidays—a tradition that continued throughout his life.

After completing high school, Werner moved to Zurich, Switzerland in 1936 to attend the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. He traveled to Amsterdam during the summer of 1939 to do volunteer engineering work. World War II broke out later that year and he was unable to return to Switzerland to complete his last year of engineering school. That year and those that followed were a time of worry and heartbreak for Werner and his family. His parents still lived in Germany during Kristallnacht and Richard was sent to Dachau Concentration Camp. Olga bribed the Gestapo with jewelry to free Richard, after which he fled to Holland to join Werner. Soon after, Werner convinced Richard to get visas and leave for the United States as soon as possible. Werner and Richard arrived in New York City on the Red Star Line’s Westernland on March 12, 1940. Olga and Gerry joined them in New York City in 1941.

In 1943, Werner was drafted into the U.S. Army. He completed his training at Camp Ritchie’s Military Intelligence Training Center. Werner went on to become an Army Intelligence Officer, serving overseas in Germany. He was later recruited by the U.S. Military Government and sent to Switzerland to identify and eliminate Nazi ideology from book publications. He led a distinguished military career and took great pride in serving his country.

Werner began his engineering career at MIT in 1947. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and advanced engineering degrees there and later joined the Department of Building Engineering and Construction as an instructor.

Werner also met his colleagues Howard Simpson and Frank Heger at MIT, with whom Werner would build Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)—a multinational engineering firm. SGH was one of Werner’s proudest accomplishments and he was actively involved with the firm until the end of his life. His love of engineering, teaching and learning, and giving opportunities to young engineers is embedded into the fabric of the company.

Mutual friends introduced Werner to Elizabeth “Betty” Lewit in 1949. Both quickly realized that they had met their match and were engaged within two weeks. They were married on Thanksgiving that year and shared fifty years of a happy marriage until Betty passed away in 1999.

Werner and Betty purchased their house in West Newton in 1951, the home that Werner would call his for the rest of his life. They had two children—Richard “Rick” Gumpertz and Ruth (Gumpertz) Moses. The family enjoyed many trips to Europe, Sunday rides, playful rough-housing, and baking cookies with extended family during the holidays.

Rick had two daughters—Katie and Valerie, and Ruth had two daughters—Beckie and Samantha. Werner adored his granddaughters and they him. They cherish memories of building gingerbread houses, refinishing old tools from his tremendous collection, and listening to stories about his childhood, the war, his travels, his life.

In 2000, Werner got a second chance at love with Susan Connors. Susan was the tenant in the upstairs unit of Werner’s two-family. Both Susan and Werner had recently lost their spouses and as Werner put it, “Now both Susan and I rattled around the house, on separate levels of a house too big for us.” A spark struck between them on an outing to buy a new refrigerator for Susan. The two would go on to share a beautiful marriage filled with love, respect, loyalty, and admiration. As Werner said of their relationship, “In my eyes this love story is not a coincidence, but a miracle.”

Werner is survived by his wife, Susan Connors; his children, Richard Gumpertz and Ruth Moses; his granddaughters, Katie Bell, Valerie Gokhfeld, Beckie Moses, and Samantha Moses; his son and daughter-in-law, Joel Moses and Karen Rowinsky; as well as members of the Gumpertz, Block, Connors, Lawless, Perrone, and Suech families, and the immeasurable number of friends and colleagues who were lucky to know him. Werner was looking forward to becoming a great-grandfather in 2018.Werner left an indelible mark on each person he touched and his absence will never cease to be felt.

Many of the details shared above were pulled from Werner’s Odyssey: Berlin to Boston, written and compiled by Babette Kahn Rittmeyer.

Services will be held at The Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Rd., Newton Centre on Wednesday December 6, 2017 at 1:00pm.Interment to follow at Newton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to BIDMC Cardiac MR Center, c/o Dr. Warren Manning, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02115 or Stoneman Center for Research and Education in Quality improvement ,c/o Dr. Mark Aronson, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02115.

On December 1, 2017 at age 95. Born in Lodz, Poland. Survivor of The Holocaust, Auschwitz Concentration camp and Lodz Ghetto. Devoted wife to her predeceased husband “Yossel”, cherished mother of Chavi & Judah Lerer and Linda & Fred Chanowski.  Loving Bubbe to Devorah & Shlomo Schwartz, Blake Chanowski, Aron & Bryna Lerer, Moishe & Tova Lerer, Ross Chanowski and great-grandmother of seven. Services at Beth Menachem Chabad, 349 Dedham St., Newton, MA  on Sunday, December 3, 2017 at 2:00 pm.  Burial at Agudath Israel Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury.  Shiva immediately following the burial at the home of Fred and Linda Chanowski. Shiva will continue Monday – Thursday 3-5 pm & 7 – 8:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Beth Menachem Chabad of Newton.

MISELMAN – Eunice (Fleishman), of Brockton, formerly of Randolph, and Plantation, FL, on December 1, 2017. Beloved wife of the late Raephel Miselman. Devoted mother of Robin Damari, Jeff Miselman, and Howard Miselman. Mother- in-law of Dawn Marrafino. Dear grandmother of Liat, Emily Hannah, Bill, Nicole, Alyssa, Michael. Great -grandmother of Ryan, Kyra, Joey, Leo, and Lyla. Graveside service at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon (please gather at the rear of the Administration Building), on Monday, December 4, 2017 at 10:45 am. Following services memorial observance will be at the home of Howard Miselman through 8:00 pm. In Lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to American Heart Association, 300 5^th Ave., Suite 6, Waltham, MA  02451.

84 years young, of Chestnut Hill, MA and Boca Raton, FL, formerly of Newton, Framingham, Mattapan and Chelsea, passed away at her home with family by her side on November 30, 2017. Cherished wife of the late Leonard Newman. Adored wife of the late Leonard Miller. Loving and generous mother of Brian Newman, Wendy Newman-Evans and Sam Miller. Fancy grandma of Laura Newman, Liza Evans, Luke Evans, Lance Miller and Justin Miller. She is survived by her loving sister, Marcia, many nieces, nephews and dear friends. She was pre-deceased by her siblings Phil, Bill, Bea and Florence. Services at Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Rd., Newton Centre, MA, Sunday, December 3, 2017 at 10:00 AM. Interment at Meretz Cemetery, Woburn. Memorial observance at her home on Sunday 6-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Children’s Miracle Network – Shand’s Hospital division at Gainesville, FL, c/o CMN, 205 West 700 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 or Thanks To Yanks, 15 Virginia Dr., Milford, MA 01757.

Joseph H. Miller-on November 29, 2017, at the age of 88. Survived by his wife of 65 years, Ruth Miller; four children,Steven Miller, Barry Miller, Sharon Haims (Allan), and Mark Miller (Melissa); 5 grandchildren, Eli and Rachel Haims, Max, Evan and Samantha Miller; his sister, Gerri Motel and her late husband Paul, sister-in- law, Carolyn Miller and her late husband Marvin, brother-in-law Irwin Chafetz and his wife, Roberta. Also survived by loving nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends. Joseph was the ultimate salesman. He could have a conversation with anyone. He was an active member of Congregation Mishkan Tefila and will be remembered as the friendly usher. He served his country as a member of the US Army. He was the typical Boston sports fan, all in with all the local teams, especially the Red Sox. Funeral services on Sunday, December 3, 2017 at 1:00 pm at Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Rd., Newton. Interment will follow at Independent Pride of Boston Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury. Shiva will begin Sunday immediately following the burial until 8:00 pm at The Hills at Mainstone Clubhouse, 133 Hillside Dr., Wayland, MA, and will continue at his late residence on Monday and Tuesday 2-4 & 7-9 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to NewBridge on the Charles,7000 Great Meadow Rd., Dedham, MA 02026 or Chabad of Lexington, 9 Burlington St., Lexington, MA 02173.

of Boston, on November 27, 2017. Beloved husband of the late Ruth (Epstein) Barry. Devoted father of Susan Ballard and her husband Tommy. Dear grandfather of Rebecca and Ethan. Loving brother of the late Gloria Simon. Services in The Chapel at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 12 Noon. Remembrances may be made to Combined Jewish Philanthropies, 126 High Street, Boston, MA 02110, or to Alzheimer’s Association of MA, 480 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA  02472.

Haskell “Hackey” Kassler passed away on November 21, 2017 after a short illness at the age of 81. Born in Boston on February 8, 1936, he was a longtime resident of Brookline and practiced law for over 55 years in Boston. Hackey had a broad distinguished professional career, specializing in entertainment, family and civil rights law. He was a founding partner of Kassler and Feuer, later joining Casner and Edwards as partner and senior member of its Family and Probate Law Group. He also served as a conciliator, mediator and handled unique appeals in family and probate law. He was an expert in election law, recounts and litigations in Massachusetts. He participated in significant national election disputes and has written numerous articles and lectured on election law.

In 1964 as part of the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee, he was a volunteer lawyer in the Freedom Summer voter registration drive in Mississippi. While representing students harassed by police, he was arrested and jailed for “assault and battery on a police officer”. US Attorney General Robert Kennedy secured his release and the Department of Justice escorted him across state lines. In 1965, Hackey volunteered again to work on voter registration in New Orleans and Bogalusa, Louisiana.

Hackey was a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He received the Massachusetts Chapter’s Haskell A. Freedman Award for service to the Bench and Bar and the Advancement of the Practice of Family Law. He also received the ORT Jurisprudence Award. He was a member of the Massachusetts Family and Probate American Inn of Court. He was named in the Best Lawyers of America publication and was identified by Boston Magazine as a Super Lawyer in Family Law and one of the top 100 lawyers in Massachusetts.

Hackey received his BA from Tufts University and his JD from Boston University School of Law. He was admitted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bar, the United States Supreme Court, the US Court of Appeals, First and Fifth Circuits, and US District Courts of Massachusetts, Northern Mississippi and Southern Louisiana.

He was an Assistant State Attorney General, Council to the NE Region American Jewish Congress and Director of Legal Services Voluntary Defender Committee. Most recently he mentored young lawyers in the Volunteer Lawyers Project, introducing them to the probate court system.

Hackey’s contributions to community and public affairs are many. He served as Chairman Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Committee; Trustee University of Massachusetts; Chairman Massachusetts Local Redistricting Commission; and Member University of Massachusetts Building Authority. In his hometown of Brookline, Hackey was an elected Town Meeting Member for over twenty-five years and was elected to the Board of Selectman. He also served as Chairman of the Brookline Civil Rights Commission. He was a member and officer of the Brookline Democratic Town Committee.

Hackey was known for his big smile, sense of humor, warm charm, love of politics and grass roots campaigning. Hackey always put family first. He was a loving husband, an adoring father and most enthusiastic grandfather. He enjoyed spending time at their home on the Cape in Wellfleet. He loved ice cream and Asian food and was an avid fan of the Boston Celtics and Red Sox. He was always willing to take an active and progressive stand – particularly for civil rights, equality and social justice. He had an innate ability to focus on issues and forge resolutions. Hackey taught by example about peace, love and doing the honorable thing with patience and wisdom.

Hackey was the son of the late Harry Kassler and Natalie Steinberg Kassler. Hackey is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary Kelligrew Kassler; his daughter Marion Kassler Canavan and husband Paul Canavan of Quincy, MA; his daughter Sarah Kassler and husband Sylvain Delboy of Paris, France; his brother Howard M. Kassler and wife Diana A. Kassler of Boston, MA; and five grandchildren: Carmela Canavan, Cameron Canavan, Zoé Delboy, Charlotte Canavan and Lou Delboy as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and good friends. A memorial service will be held at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Columbia Point, Boston 02125 on Sunday, December 3 at 12 noon. Following the service a reception will be held until 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, 125 Broad St, 18th Floor, New York, NY, 10004 and the Southern Law Poverty Center, 400 Washington Ave, Montgomery, AL, 36104.

Frederic Alan Sharf, of Palm Beach and Chestnut Hill, a businessman, philanthropist, scholar and avid collector of forgotten treasures, died Monday, Nov. 27, 2017 in West Palm Beach after a long illness. He was 83.

“Fred was the only Renaissance man I ever met,” said his lifelong friend, Bruce Beal of Palm Beach. “He was curiously intellectual. He pursued his interests with vigor. His curiosity was infectious.”

Mr. Sharf, who turned down a job teaching history at Harvard University to go into the family business, channeled his love of history into collecting. He sought things that were overlooked by other collectors, sometimes as they were about to be discarded.

His collections included Spanish-American War illustrations, architectural drawings, automotive design drawings, Japanese Meiji period woodblock prints, fashion illustrations, 1940s British women’s wear and, most recently, cartoons.

Through his scholarship and initiative, he elevated his collectibles into museum-worthy objects. He curated exhibitions from his collections, wrote or edited more than 40 books and donated collections to museums.

He was a trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; The Essex Institute (a forerunner of the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass.); and The Wolfsonian-FIU in Miami Beach, as well as Beth Israel Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. In 2016, Mr. Sharf and his wife, Jean, donated $1 Million to MorseLife in West Palm Beach for the senior care facility’s welcome center.

Locally, Mr. Sharf’s collections were featured in the Flagler Museum’s With a Wink and a Nod: Cartoonists of the Gilded Age in 2015 and the museum’s current exhibition, Knights of the Air Aviator Heros of World War 1, as well as the Norton Museum’s 2012 Keep Calm and Carry On: World War II and the British Home Front, 1938-1951 and 2015’s Going Places: Transportation Designs from the Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Collection.

He also exhibited his art at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and MorseLife Health System in West Palm Beach.

Hope Alswang, the Norton Museum’s chief executive officer, remembers Mr. Sharf as one of the first supporters of the museum’s Foster + Partners-designed expansion, which is scheduled to open in February 2019.

“He was a remarkable visionary,” she said. “He was bigger than life. He was deeply engaged in what was happening culturally and he was a dear friend of the Norton.”

Mr. Sharf was born Aug. 13, 1934, in Boston. He attended Phillips Academy, Andover in Massachusetts and graduated in 1956 from Harvard University. He earned a master’s degree in history from Harvard before joining his father and uncle in M. Sharf & Co. in Boston.

Mr. Sharf built the business into a sports marketing and management company offering services to professional ice hockey and tennis athletes. In addition to Palm Beach, he and his wife resided in New York and Boston.

She recalls their first meeting at a synagogue in Boston.

“He was there with his father,” she said. “He wasn’t paying attention to the service at all. He looked up and saw me and managed to be introduced to me after the service.”

They were married for 56 years. It’s been an interesting marriage, she said. “He was absolutely fascinating and fun to be with.”

Mr. Sharf was “a bit of a character,” said resident Judie Schlager, who has known the Sharfs since before they were married. “He lived life exactly the way he wanted and he did wonderful things for many people. He will be sorely missed.”

In addition to his wife, Mr. Sharf is survived by a daughter, Lisa Sharf Green; a son-in-law, Eric Green; and two grandchildren, Parker Green and Bennett Green of New York City. A memorial service in Palm Beach is planned for a to-be-decided date in December.