Obituaries

Edward L. Gilfix -Of  Lexington, on March 17, 2014.Beloved husband of Lores (LeVita) Gilfix. Devoted father of Katherine Gilfix, David Gilfix and his wife Sharyn, Daniel Gilfix and his wife Florence. Dear grandfather of Miryam and Eliana, and Hannah and Elliot. Loving brother of Sumner Gilfix. Graveside services at Westview Cemetery, 520 Bedford St., Lexington, on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at 1:30 PM. In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to The ALS Clinical Research Fund, Development Office, Mass General Hospital, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 1310, Boston, MA 02114 or Compassionate Care ALS, PO Box 1052, West Falmouth, MA 02574.

Edward L. Gilfix -Of  Lexington, on March 17, 2014.Beloved husband of Lores (LeVita) Gilfix. Devoted father of Katherine Gilfix, David Gilfix and his wife Sharyn, Daniel Gilfix and his wife Florence. Dear grandfather of Miryam and Eliana, and Hannah and Elliot. Loving brother of Sumner Gilfix. Graveside services at Westview Cemetery, 520 Bedford St., Lexington, on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at 1:30 PM. In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to The ALS Clinical Research Fund, Development Office, Mass General Hospital, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 1310, Boston, MA 02114 or Compassionate Care ALS, PO Box 1052, West Falmouth, MA 02574.

Cynthia (Ponty) Talbert, 78, of Rutland and formerly of Spencer, died on Friday, March 14th in Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida, after being stricken ill.She leaves two daughters, Julie Jamron, wife of David Cabana of Rutland, and Rise, wife of Michael Kent of Spencer; a son, Bret Talbert and his girlfriend, Dawn Corson of Barre, and eight grandchildren, Jeremy, Colin, Calev, Jacob, Etha, Kayla, Madison and Michaela. She was predeceased by her son, Morse Burack, her two former husbands, Edwin Burack and James Talbert, her fiance, John Poisant, her brother, Howard Ponty and her sister, Louise Koenig. She leaves several cousins, nieces and nephews. She was born in Worcester and was a daughter of Harry S. and Belle (Victor) Ponty and had lived most of her life in Worcester before moving to Spencer and most recently to Rutland. She graduated Classical High School, Worcester State Teachers College and received her Doctorate in Education from University of Connecticut.She was a teacher in grammar schools of the Worcester School System. She was a professor and administrator at Worcester State University and Fitchburg State University for many years, retiring several years ago. She co-authored two books. She was the former owner of The Brunch Box in Worcester. She was a talented pianist. She received Four Keys to the City of Worcester as well as many other awards. She travelled extensively, teaching for the America School. She had been an active member of National Council of Jewish Women, Worcester Chapter of Hadassah and PDK.Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, March 19th in Beth Israel Synagogue on Jamesbury Drive in Worcester under the direction of Richard Perlman of Brezniak Rodman Chapels of Newton. Burial will be in Sons of Jacob Cemetery in Leicester. Memorial Observance will be held on Wednesday, March 19th and Thursday, March 20th at her residence in Rutland.Memorial contributions may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Research, c/o University of Massachusetts Healthcare, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655 .

Samuel Resnick -On March 17, 2014. Services are incomplete at this time.

of Waltham, formerly of the West End of Boston, died on March 16, 2014.  Beloved wife of the late Oscar Berkman. Devoted mother of Jim Berkman and his wife Bonnie, Alan Berkman, Amy Berkman Losey and her husband Will, and Judy Rice. Dear friend of Florence Brown. Loving grandmother of Stasy McPherson, Sara McPherson, Seth McPherson, Jaime Berkman, Jarad Berkman and his wife Erin, and Jason Berkman.  Sister of the late George Stearn. Aunt of Judith Rodney and her husband Moe, and Michael Stearn and his wife Karen.  Services were held at the Kovner Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, remembrances in her memory may be made to a charity of choice.

Stavros  Socrates  Frantzis, of Jamaica Plain, 72, on March 15, 2014 after a short illness. He was the beloved husband of Doris Charry Frantzis, and was the devoted father of Renzo Miranda of Jamaica Plain, and Sokrates Frantzis of California, his brother Kostas and sister Anthi.  Born and raised in Mytilini, Greece, he was Principal of Frantzis and Associates, a commercial and residential real estate investment, construction and development firm. His company focused on the revitalization of inner-city commercial areas in Boston neighborhoods, taking properties that were in disrepair and turning them into successful projects sensitive to neighborhood concerns regarding design and use. After receiving master’s degrees in chemical engineering from Technical University of Athens and from Northwestern University in Illinois, he earned his doctorate in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern in 1974. He was on the full-time faculties of Loyola University of Chicago (1973-1975) and then Northeastern University in Boston (1975-1982). He taught part-time at Babson College from 1982-1985. Stavros was fluent in Greek, English and Spanish and frequently traveled to Colombia and Greece. He, his wife and son Renzo went around the world in 80 days last summer, circling west to more than 10 countries before arriving back in Boston. He was a philanthropist who donated to many causes and was affiliated with community organizations that dealt with planning and commerce. His hands were said to be both strong and artistic, and he used them to design buildings and gardens. His blue eyes were the color of the Aegean Sea. “Death is the last journey in life,” he said. For information about the memorial event to be held on Tuesday, March 18, please contact stavrosmemorial@gmail.com

Charlotte (Crossman) Shapiro of Newton, on March 16, 2014. Beloved wife of the late Irving Shapiro. Devoted mother of Ellen H. Goldberg, Alice Hackman and Bruce Beck, Susan Brenner and her husband Stuart, Judy Belinfante and her husband Geoffrey. Beloved sister of the late Phyllis Parker and her late husband, George Parker.  Beloved sister of the late Robert  V. Crossman and his late wife, Ann Crossman.  Dear grandmother of Jennifer Pontello and her husband Mark, Jodi Mottola and her husband David, Lisa Stern and her husband Glenn, Jamie Mendelsohn and her husband Josh, Carrie Youngs and her husband Stuart, Lacy Forman and her husband Seth. Loving great grandmother of George Pontello, Scott and Rachel Magerer, Zach and Abby Stern, Nathan Mendelsohn, Spencer and  Addison Youngs. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.  Services at Temple Ohabei Shalom,  1187 Beacon St., Brookline, on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 at 10:30 am. Following interment at Mishkan Tefila Memorial Park, Centre St., West Roxbury, family and friends are invited to the Function Room at 210 Nahanton St., Newton, until 8 pm. Memorial observance will continue at Charlotte’s residence on Sunday, March 23, from  2-4 & 7-9 pm . In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to The Hoffman Breast Center at Mount Auburn Hospital, 330 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138.

Theodore Katcher, 92, formerly of Leominster, died on Wednesday, March 12,2014, in St. Vincent Hospital.His wife Ethel (Peretz) Katcher died in 2007. He leaves a son, William Katcher of Leominster and four grandchildren, David Katcher and Jonathan Katcher, both of Fitchburg, Reesha Katcher of Pescadero, CA and Adam Katcher of Ann Arbor, Michigan.He was born in Brooklyn, New York,  lived in New Jersey for many years, and retired in Florida In his 25 years of retirement, he worked as a postal worker for the United States Post Office. He came to Leominster approximately 8 years ago.GRAVESIDE FUNERAL SERVICES  AT 11:00 AM,  SUNDAY, MARCH 16,2014 AT AGUDAS ACHIM CEMETERY, ROLLSTONE RD., FITCHBURG, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF RICHARD PERLMAN OF BREZNIAK RODMAN CHAPELS OF NEWTON. Memorial Observance will be announced at the time of the Funeral.

Nathan Kashuk, 88, of Worcester, son of the late Jacob and Anne (Olsavich) Kashuk, died Wednesday, March 12,2014 at Beaumont Rehabilitation Center after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in the West End of Boston, Nathan graduated from English High in 1943, and at age 17 volunteered and served overseas for 32 months in the Pacific Theatre of operations in World War II. He was a decorated veteran who participated in battles of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands, Saipan and Tinian in the Marianas Island and Okinawa. He was with the first occupation forces in Nagasaki three weeks after the dropping of the 2nd atomic bomb. He was considered an “atomic veteran.” Nathan graduated Burdett College in 1947, married the love of his life, Dorothy (Potash) in 1947, and lived in Worcester until 1989 when they moved to Hyannis, MA. They returned to Worcester in 2009 to be closer to family. Nathan was a CPA in Worcester, establishing his own accounting firm, and became a senior partner in the Worcester CPA firm Kumin, Kashuk and Stevens, retiring at age 64. He was a member of the American Institute of CPA’s, Massachusetts Society of CPA’s, a life member of the Jewish War Veterans and Disabled American Veterans.He was active his entire career in civic and professional organizations including: the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Society of CPA’s, and auditor of that organization, a member of Level Lodge of Masons in Worcester and the Masonic Fraternal Lodge of Cape Cod, and a member of the Allepo Temple. He was a member of the Scottish Rite Masons, served as Treasurer and as Chairman of the Finance Committee, and Treasurer of Brotherhood of Temple Emanuel in Worcester and Cape Cod Synagogue. He most recently served as a member of the Willows Residents Advisory Committee. Nathan is survived by his devoted and close knit family; his wife Dorothy; children Gerald A. Kashuk and his wife Shelley of Paxton, Jane E. Nahabedian and her husband Arthur of Chelmsford, Garry Kashuk and his wife Marie of Cranston, Rl, and Larry Kashuk and his wife Darlene of Villa Park, CA; grandchildren Jill E. Ricardo and her husband Jason of Framingham, Leslie McKeough and her husband David of Broadlands, VA, Joshua Kashuk of San Francisco, Benjamin Kashuk of Villa Park, CA, Jacob Kashuk of Milwaukee, WI, Samuel Kashuk of Portland, OR, and three great grandchildren. Nathan was predeceased by his sister Sophia.Nathan provided inspiration, motivation and support to all who met him. He was a family man first and foremost, cherishing the time he spent with his ever-expanding family. He was a proud Marine, a world traveler, and lived a joyous and accomplished life.The funeral will be 3:00PM, Sunday, March 16,2014 at Temple Emanuel Sinai, 280 May St, Worcester, under the direction of Richard Perlman of Brezniak Rodman Chapels of Newton. Burial will be in Holy Society Cemetery in Leicester. Memorial Observance will be held through Monday evening at the Willows, 101 Barry Rd. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in memory of Nathan Kashuk to: Temple Emanuel Sinai, 280 May St, Worcester 01602.