Obituaries

Beatrice Solomon-on February 7, 2015. Services pending.

Claire Fram-on February 7, 2015.

a resident of Newton Lower Falls for 46 years, born May 25, 1926, died on February 6, 2015 at the age of 88. Son of the late Max and Bessie (Waters) Newmark. Beloved husband of Edith (nee Napovitch) Newmark and devoted father of Michael Barry Newmark. Dear brother of Cynthia Prelack and also survived  by nieces, nephews, and cousins. Graduate of Dorchester High School and Northeastern University where he earned his B.S. degree. Employed by the Comm. of MA as a materials tester for 35 years. Services at Newton Cemetery, 791 Walnut St., Newton, on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Richard’s name can be made to Amego, Inc., 33 Perry Avenue, Attleboro, MA 02703.

of Fayston, VT, died peacefully Feb. 7, 2015 surrounded by family and friends. He was born in Boston, MA, the son of Dr. Henry Arthur Kontoff and Ruth (Lappin) Kontoff.

He graduated from Newton High School in 1947 and attended Tufts University where he graduated with a degree in Psychology in 1951.

In 1956 he married Gertrude Friedman and with her had his children Matthew, Daniel and Sara.  They were married until 1971.

He was a frequent visitor and skier in Vermont, and after a successful career in home development and real estate, he moved there in 1973. He built the home he lived in for the past 40+ years, along with the tennis court on which he and Jennifer Howard had many happy games.  They met in 1975 and the two have been inseparable ever since.  As well as being an avid tennis player, he was a hiker, and loved bridge. He had achieved the status of Life Master in bridge. He enjoyed playing locally and in tournaments around the world.

He was very involved in his community, including many stints as director, producer, board member, fundraiser and on-stage talent for The Valley Players Theater. He and Jennifer revived and re-started this community theater group.  He worked with the theater department at Harwood Union coaching student actors and helping with production, staging, and directing.

For many years he was the regular chef for the Mad River Valley Senior Citizens twice weekly luncheons. At charity fundraisers he often donated a catered meal served by liveried wait staff. Said staff generally included Jennifer and some friends.

Mitchell was also one of the founding directors of Mad River Valley Television, the Valley’s public access channel. He served as treasurer for the station for many years.

He volunteered in the Boy Scouts, helping local troops rebuild a camp and headquarters in Duxbury and was one of the founding members of the Mad River Valley Cricket Club, a charitable organization that raised funds for local causes. In 1993 he was recognized by The Valley Reporter as the newspaper’s first “Volunteer of the Month” for his ongoing contributions to The Mad River Valley.

He loved music and being a member of the Mad River Chorale, and he loved listening to live performances by Michael McCloud in Key West, where he and Jennifer spent their winters starting in 1997.

Mitchell was passionate about traveling and he and Jennifer visited every continent, some multiple times.  In 1989 they spent 6 months traveling around the world, visiting friends and joined by other friends at several locales along the way.

After he retired from his first career, he studied culinary arts at Cordon Bleu.  He was a consummate host who delighted in feeding family and friends at the home he shared with Jennifer on a hill in Fayston.  He wrote a cooking column for The Valley Reporter under the pen name of Aida Lott.  Nothing made him happier than hearing a compliment on his cooking.

He is survived by Jennifer Howard, his son Matthew, daughter-in-law Jane, grandchildren Alex and Michelle; his son Daniel and his daughter Sara Allexander, his sister Rachel Ann Ezrin, nieces and nephews, and many friends. He was predeceased by his parents.

There will be a service at the Beth Jacob Synagogue at 10 Harrison Avenue, Montpelier VT 05602 at 1:00pm on Friday, February 13 with a graveside service and burial immediately following.

Friends are welcome to join the family afterwards for remembering and celebrating at their home at 1065 Center Fayston Road from 4-8pm on Friday.

The family will receive visitors on Saturday, February 14 from 2-4pm and will sit shiva that evening from 7-9pm as well as Sunday, February 15 from 2-5pm with a service at the house at 3pm.

The family will also sit shiva in Acton, MA on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 17 and 18 from 6-9pm at 217 School Street, Unit A, and in Waban, MA on Tuesday, February 17 from 2-5pm at 134 Anawan Road Waban, MA

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Mad River Valley Interfaith Council (PO Box 342 Waitsfield VT 05673, ((madrivervalleyfoodshelf.wordpress.com/ ), the Mad River Valley Community Fund (P.O. Box 353, Waitsfield VT 05673,( mrvcommunityfund.org) or or the Green Mountain Swing Scholarship Fund (Fred Abraham, 1396 Gregg Hill Road, Waterbury Center, VT 05677)

Milton Kassner-Of Boynton Beach, FL, & Hingham, on February 5, 2015. Beloved husband of Dorothy (Winn) Kassner. Devoted father of Jerold (Linda) Kassner, Susan (Kenneth) Litvin, and Nancy (Craig) Wolpert. Dear grandfather of Erika (Joshua) Bloom, Jeffrey Litvin, Jonathan (Heidi) Kassner, Daniel Kassner, Sam Wolpert, and Hannah Wolpert. Great-grandfather of Talia Kassner and Ari Kassner. Loving brother of the late Allen Kassner. Services in the Chapel at Sharon Memorial Park, 43 Dedham St., Sharon, MA, on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 10 am. Following interment memorial observance will be at Temple Sinai, 25 Canton St., Sharon until 2 pm. Memorial observance will continue Sunday evening 7-9 pm and Monday 1-4 & 7-9 pm at the home of Jerold & Linda Kassner. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mended Little Hearts of Boston, 65 Codding Rd., Norton, MA 02766.

Carlin-Gerald S., died suddenly in Palm Desert, California. A former resident of Boston, he has been a resident of California for the last 25 years. He is the son of the late Pearl and Herbert J. Carlin. He is survived by his sister, Cynthia Weissman of Boca Raton, FL and nephew Ken Weissman, and nieces Laura Davis and Michelle Titlebaum. Also survived by 9 great nephews and great nieces. He was the best friend and companion of Nancy Goulston for 40 years. Graveside services at the Crawford St. Memorial Park, 776 Baker Street, West Roxbury, on Friday, February 6, 2015 at 11:00 am.  Remembrances may be made to Hadassah or the charity of your choice.

Lillian (Feinzig) Bloom-of Newton and Delray Beach, FL, passed away peacefully on February 3, 2015 at Rogerson House, Jamaica Plain.  She enjoyed many happy years with her beloved late husband Henry Bloom. She was the daughter of the late Fannie and Harry Feinzig. She was a devoted mother to Marcy Davidson and her husband Marvin, and Carrie Salsberg and her husband Robert and the late Saul Charles Chessler Bloom. She was a loving grandmother to Daniel and Michael Davidson, and Alex and Adam Salsberg. Dear sister of David Feinzig, and the late Sydel Rothman, Murray and Ralph Feinzig. She is also survived by many wonderful nieces, nephews and cousins.  Services at The Wilson Chapel, 234 Herrick Rd., Newton Centre, on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 1:30 pm. Following interment at Mishkan Tefila Memorial Park, West Roxbury, memorial observance will be at the home of Marcy and Marvin Davidson until 5:00pm & 7-9pm, and will continue Friday 1-4pm and Saturday 7-9:30pm. In lieu of flowers remembrances  may be made to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St.,Suite 200, Wellesley,MA 02481,  www.curealz.org.

Frederick L. Randall – DMD, of Chestnut Hill and Mashpee, formerly of Waban, passed away on February 3, 2015,  after a 7-year fight against kidney cancer.  He died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born February 22, 1939. He was the beloved husband of Harriet Fink Randall, the devoted father of Jacquie Sherman and her husband Michael and Douglas Randall and his wife Michelle. Adored Papa of Gabrielle and Nathan Sherman and Ella and Max Randall.  Loving brother- in- law of Rita and Stanley Waldstein and Lois and Lee Miller .  Survived by loving nieces Marcy Kiely, Wendy Sims, and Bobby Waldstein.  He was the son of the late  Max and Nettie Randall and grew up attending Boston Schools, graduated from Boston College  (1960), Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (1964),  Boston University Graduate School of Dentistry and served a rotating Internship at Philadelphia General Hospital.  He is a past president of the Tufts Dental Alumni Association and the Boston  Chapter of Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity.  He was a member of the Northeastern Orthodontic Association, a 50-year member of the American Dental Society and participated in several local and national dental and orthodontic organizations.  He enjoyed being with friends and family, taking courses, playing golf, tennis, bridge, traveling and attending his grandson Nathan’s sports games.  He is a past member of Congregation Mishkan Tefilia of Chestnut Hill.  He practiced orthodontics in Brockton and Newton. Services at Temple Beth Shalom, 670 Highland Ave., Needham, on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 10:00 am.Following interment at Sharon Memorial Park, family and friends are invited to return to Temple Beth Shalom until 3:00 pm. Memorial observance will continue at the South Community Room, Chestnut Hill Towers on Friday from 2:30-4:47 pm, Shabbat. In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to the Kidney Cancer Association, PO Box 4668, New York, NY 10163.

Erika Rothman- Services  in Pittsburgh, PA.

93, of Dedham, formerly of Sharon, died at her residence on Monday, February 2, 2015, surrounded by her devoted family.

She was predeceased in 2013 by her beloved husband of 70 years, Harold S. Levitan, and leaves her four  children, who were the joy of her life: Susan Taylor and husband Edgar of Chamberlain, ME, David of Cambridge, MA, Mark and wife Gina Zizza of Carlisle, MA, Robert and wife Shari of Sharon, MA, and her grandsons Jack Taylor of Ann Arbor, MI and Adam Taylor and wife Stephanie Milberry and their children Emerson, Peach, and Oscar of Knoxville, TN. She is also survived by her sisters Edith (Kaufman) Mitchell of Westborough, MA, Sylvia (Kaufman) Brown of Bethesda, MD and brothers Daniel Kaufman of Dedham, MA and Norman Kaufman of Sharon, MA. She was predeceased by her siblings Sol Kaufman and Dorothy (Kaufman) Luchner.

Addie was a loving wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and confidante. She was a “second mom,” to many of her children’s friends, as well as to numerous nieces and nephews. She was especially close with Bruce and Lorraine Luchner and their children Douglas, Jillian and Sarah.

Addie and Harold started their journey in marriage in 1942 when World War II was in full swing. An Army wife, Addie traveled to many cities where Harold was training and made fast friends wherever she went – a consistent motif throughout her life. She developed many touchstone friendships over the years, in Randolph in the 50’s, Sharon in the 60’s, at campgrounds in Maine and throughout the country in the 70’s and 80’s, right through to her most recent residence at Traditions in Dedham in the 2010’s.

In 1968 Addie found a new calling, first as a nurse’s aide, and then as a classroom aide in the Sharon elementary schools. She loved the children, and they loved her. She could be firm in setting behavioral boundaries, and at the same time she glowed with love and compassion. A bit child-like herself, she could readily empathize with children’s struggles. Until her retirement in 1991, many, many children found in Addie a caring presence in their lives.

Addie’s dessert baking skill is legendary. She always had a ready supply of her staple creations in the freezer and could singlehandedly supply desserts for the biggest parties. Her annual Chanukah gatherings were epic must-attend events, featuring the world’s best latkes.

Addie’s innate intelligence, perceptiveness and practical knowledge belied the fact that her formal education ended at Cambridge High & Latin School. She had an infectious laugh and a touch of mischief in her that endeared her to all who knew her, and to know her was to love her. She will be dearly missed.

Funeral services will be held at Temple Sinai, 25 Canton St., Sharon, MA, on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 11:00 am, with interment at Sharon Memorial Park. Shiva observance will take place at Temple Sinai immediately following the service until 3 pm. Shiva observance will continue at the home of Bob and Shari Levitan in Sharon, Thursday  7-9 pm and Friday 1-3 pm. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Cancer Research Institute, 55 Broadway, Suite 1802, New York, NY 10006 or to The Sharon Education Foundation, for the Benefit of the Lee Flaxer Award, PO Box 470, Sharon, MA 02067.