Obituaries

Helen Gorach-of Belmont, on March 9, 2016. Beloved wife of David Gorach for 60 years. Devoted mother of Harold and Richard Gorach and the late Caryn Gorach. Dear sister of the late Max Rosen. Graveside service at Lindwood Memorial Park, 490 North St., Randolph, on Friday, March 11, 2016 at 11:00 am. Memorial observance at her residence Saturday after sundown and Sunday 11-8pm.In lieu of flowers remembrances to Beth El Temple Center, 2 Concord Ave., Belmont 02478.

LEVIN – Betsy J. (Anteen), of Bridgewater, formerly of Brockton, on March 6, 2016. Beloved wife of Norman L. Levin. Devoted mother of Alan M. Levin and his wife Kelly. Sister of the late Steven Anteen. Graveside service at Sharon Memorial Park, 43 Dedham St., Sharon (please gather behind the administration building), on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, at 1:45 pm. Following interment, memorial observance will be at her residence through Wednesday evening only. Remembrances may be made to American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA  01701.

Age 53, died in her home on Sunday, March 6, 2016, of metastatic breast cancer. Gina was born and raised in Chicago and attended the Francis W. Parker School. After high school she moved to Israel, where she studied theater at the Hebrew University, and met her former husband, Ted Miller.  After working as a stage manager in New York, Gina settled in Boston, where she raised her children, Zach and Zoe Miller. Here she found her true passion and gift, teaching, both as a high school English teacher and in Jewish congregational schools. In 2001, Gina met her spouse, Rabbi Toba Spitzer, and together they created a loving home first in Lexington and then in Waltham. Gina was a woman of boundless energy and deep compassion and warmth.  She had a huge creative spirit, evidenced not only by her teaching, but also by her intricate Sculpy creations, blog writing, blanket-making, complex birthday cakes, and countless published letters to the Globe. But Gina’s true legacy, in addition to her children, was her teaching. She offered her students both learning and love, and that love was reciprocated in fullest measure throughout her career and in her last days.  She taught not just literature or Judaism but critical thinking about the world in which we live. She inspired her students to become their best selves and to work for a world free of oppression. For the past 15 years at Weston High School, Gina was devoted to the METCO program, and she worked to make both her classroom and the school community inclusive of diverse views and identities.  Her fierce love of her children, deep partnership with her spouse, devotion to her extended family, ability to delight children of all ages, and passionate friendship with so many who loved her, will live on. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at Congregation Mishkan Tefila, 300 Hammond Pond Parkway, Chestnut Hill. Memorial observance will be held at her residence on Tuesday 7-9 pm, Wednesday & Thursday 3-5 & 7-9 pm, and Sunday 4-6 pm. Donations in Gina’s memory can be made to the Gina Fried Memorial Scholarship at Weston High School –  ℅ Business Office, 89 Wellesley Street, Weston MA 02493.

Michael H. Federman of Westborough, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend and popular member of the community, has passed away after a long battle with multiple sclerosis.

Mike, who was 78, died peacefully at his home in Westborough on Friday with his loving wife of 50 years, Toby, by his side.

Mike, the son of the late Nathan and Edna Federman, was born in Brooklyn on May 24, 1937, and grew up in Brookline, Mass. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and master’s degree in journalism from Boston University, and served in the U.S. Air Force reserves, where he was briefly activated during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

After college, Mike worked as a reporter for a business wire service before joining the Thom McAnn shoe company in Worcester, where he was director of public relations. In the late 1980s, he opened his own public relations firm, which he continued to operate until retiring a few years ago.

Mike and Toby moved to Westborough some 45 years ago and became active in the community. He headed a number of professional organizations, volunteered with local charities and was a founder of Congregation B’nai Shalom.

Mike loved Cape Cod, where he had a vacation home, and went on countless road trips with Toby. But his favorite place was being at home in Westborough. Although Michael slowed down in the last few years, he never complained about his illness, serving as an inspiration to many with his friendly and upbeat demeanor.

In addition to Toby, Mike is survived by his sons, Josef, husband of Carmit and parents of Avia, Uri and Elnatan Federman of Jerusalem, Israel; Aaron, of Somerville; and Daniel, husband of Jennifer and parents of Alex, of Tiburon, Calif. Mike was predeceased by his sister Elizabeth Cohn; and leaves a warm, extended family.

A  service will take place at Congregation B’nai Shalom, 117 East Main Street, in Westborough, on Monday, March 7, at 10 a.m.Burial will take place at Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon, MA.  In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Mike’s memory to either Congregation B’nai Shalom or the Westborough Senior Center

of Stoughton, on March 4, 2016. Beloved husband of Elaine (Block) Pellegrini. Devoted father of Samantha and Micah. Brother of Dorothy West. Services at Temple Beth David, 1060 Randolph St ,Canton, on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 1 pm. Following interment in Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon, memorial observance will be at Temple Beth David. Memorial observance will continue at his residence, 210 3rd St. Stoughton, Monday through Tuesday 2-4, 7-9 pm. Evening minyan at 7:30 pm. Remembrances may be made to Temple Beth David, Canton.

Formerly of Sharon and Stoughton at 100. Beloved wife of the late Benjamin Baker and the late Jacob Shaer. Loving mother of Barbara Shaer of Mansfield and Stephen Shaer and his wife Eleanor  of Boston and Mashpee. Loving grandmother of Jon and Lori Shaer of Needham, Brian Shaer of Manhattan, NY, Jaime Freedman and Jeremy Kozubek of Salem. Great-grandmother of Benjamin and Madeline Shaer of Needham. Services at Sharon Memorial Park, 43 Dedham St., Sharon, on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 10 am. Following services memorial observance will be at NewBridge on the Charles, Dedham, until 4pm and 7-9 pm. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to a charity of your choice.

Seifter-Charles M., of Wellesley, on March 1, 2016. Dear son of Dr. Julian L. Seifter and Betsy W. Seifter. Loving brother of Andrew Seifter and his wife Lori. Loving uncle of Ellie Seifter. Services at Congregation Or Atid, 97 Concord Road, Wayland, on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 3:00 pm. Following interment at Beit Olam East Cemetery, Wayland, memorial observance will be at the Seifter residence through 9:00 pm, and Friday 2-4 pm. Remembrances may be made to a charity of your choice.

of West Newton, February 29, 2016, at age 79.  Beloved husband for 58 years of Paula Corman and cherished father of Bicky Corman (spouse of Gerald Kell).  Born in Boston and a resident of West Newton more than 65 years, Joel received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University and his MBA and Ph.D. in Economics and Management from the University of Pennsylvania.  Professor Emeritus, Joel retired from Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Management where he taught for 30 years, authored two textbooks on entrepreneurship and several hundred journal articles. Also survived by sister Nancy Corman Berk and her children.  Graveside service at the Boylston Lodge Cemetery, 776 Baker Street, West Roxbury on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 1:00 pm.

Dorothy Fox-of Brighton, Formerly of New York, on February 26, 2016. Beloved wife of the late Henry Fox. Devoted mother of Jane Fox, and Nancy Webber and her husband Dr. Tony Webber. Beloved grandmother. Services in New York, Sunday, February 28,2016.

of Newton. Born in Boston on June 10, 1927 to immigrant parents, Mr. Brezniak graduated from Newton High School in 1944. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he graduated from Northeastern University in 1950 with a degree in business. He also served in the Army during the Korean conflict. Mr. Brezniak spent several decades as a partner at Brezniak & Shulman Insurance Agency in Boston. He also owned a series of nightclubs in Boston, including The Rathskeller, a legendary rock music venue in Kenmore Square.

Mr. Brezniak was an active athlete and outdoorsman, a passion he pursued at the Boston Ski & Sports Club, which he purchased in 1974. Under his direction, the BSSC grew from an informal club with two part-time employees into a popular sport and social organization with 15 full time employees and tens of thousands of participants. “Gene was all about having fun,” says his wife Ann Lord, whom he married in 1996, and who worked alongside him at the BSSC. “He hated to work, but this didn’t feel like work for him. It was all about going skiing and playing volleyball and meeting cute girls. Including me.”

Along with Ms. Lord, Mr. Brezniak leaves a daughter, Debra Brezniak Solomon, of California, her husband David Solomon, and their children Jennifer and Max. His son Peter Brezniak lives in Connecticut.  Mr. Brezniak is also survived by two sisters: Cynthia Brezniak Shulman of Dedham (formerly Newton,) and Renee Brezniak Glazier of San Antonio, Texas (formerly Newton.) He was beloved by seven nieces and nephews, and by their spouses and children.

Funeral services will be held Sunday February 21 at 2pm at Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Rd, Newton. Interment will be at Staro Konstantinov Cemetery on Baker St in West Roxbury. Shiva will be observed following the services on Sunday at the family residence, 340 C Boylston St.Newton(Residences at Chestnut Hill) through 8pm, and on Monday and Tuesday from 1-4pm and 6-9pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hebrew Senior Life Hospice Program, 1200 Centre St, Roslindale MA 02131 or to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston.