Obituaries

Sandra Abramson on September 19, 2024, Sandra (Goldberg) Abramson peacefully passed in her home in Natick, MA, surrounded by her immediate family. Sandra was the daughter of the late Jack and Ruth Goldberg and was born and raised in Chelsea, Massachusetts. She was married to her husband, Mitchell Abramson, for 35 years; and she was the beloved mother of Jason Abramson and Jennifer Abramson; as well as the beloved grandmother of Alexis Carty Abramson. In addition to her immediate family, Sandra had a strong, loving relationship with her brother, Alan Goldberg, as well as his wife, Lynne Goldberg; and their three sons, David, Jeffrey and Daniel, along with their wives and children. In addition, Sandra had several great-nieces and nephews, as well as cousins and friends, who she truly enjoyed seeing and spending time with. Funeral Services for Sandra will be at Temple Israel of Natick, 145 Hartford Street, Natick, MA, at 1:00 pm, September 22, 2024, with Burial to be done at the Framingham Natick Jewish Cemetery on Sunday, September 22, 2024. After services, all are welcome to the home of Mitchell and Sandra Abramson, Natick, MA, for shiva. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation or to Massachusetts General Hospital.

To view the livestream link of the funeral service please click here.

Sidney Wolk, successful entrepreneur and company leader, passes away at 89

When Sidney Wolk walked into a room, you knew your day was about to get a little bit sunnier.  Whether it was a gentle ribbing, a perfectly-delivered joke, a pat on the back or an affirming word of encouragement, Sid loved to connect with people.  His authentic humanity touched many lives, and he was adored in return.

Sidney Wolk was born in 1935, the son of a plumber and a homemaker.  He grew up in Dorchester in a six family walk-up and attended Boston Latin School and Boston University before embarking on an entrepreneurial journey that included stints as a shoe salesman, a mattress store franchisee and an insurance agent.  In 1972, he founded Cross Country Motor Club (now Agero), which grew to become the largest provider of emergency roadside assistance in the country, covering more than 120 million motorists and helping more than 10 million people annually.  The company now serves as the foundation of The Cross Country Group, one of the largest family-owned firms in Massachusetts.

Sid’s enthusiasm for opportunity, willingness to take risks and true entrepreneurial instincts were the driving force behind the creation of companies that had unique spirit and were recognized for excellence nationally and internationally.  Working into his late 80’s, Sid loved what he did and remained grateful every day, saying “I would rather be lucky than smart.”

Sidney was an ordinary man who lived an outsized, extraordinary life.  He had relentless optimism and energy, a never-ending inventory of colorful jokes and a genuine interest and concern for those around him.  Over the course of his long and wonderful life, he was able to build impactful and memorable relationships with people of all types.  This included his company’s many large corporate clients, thousands of employees and friends from all walks of life.  He spread his optimism and good cheer broadly and generously, and over the years hundreds of waiters and waitresses, taxi drivers and others were the beneficiaries of his good-natured banter and quick humor.  In 1999, Sidney received the Horatio Alger Award for Distinguished Americans, an honor of which he was extremely proud.  But he cherished his personal relationships with family, friends, employees and colleagues far more.

A remarkably devoted family man, Sidney and his wife Deanna celebrated their 62^nd anniversary the week he died.  The couple lived and raised their family in Lexington, moving to Back Bay later in life.  They also made homes in Salem, New Hampshire and  Delray Beach, FL.

Importantly, Sidney and Deanna cared for Sidney’s blind mother for over a decade while their kids were young, serving as true role models.   Most days would find Sid working tirelessly to build his company, making time with his wife and kids, and taking his mother shopping or for walks around the neighborhood.  His care and concern for the needy continued later in life, and as he became more financially successful he gave back prodigiously.  His widespread philanthropy included support for the Greater Boston Food Bank, Youth Automotive Training Center, Boston Latin School, Combined Jewish Philanthropies and the creation of the Wolk Center for Memory Health at Hebrew Senior Life.

Sidney is survived by his wife Deanna, and three children Howard (Candice), Jeffrey (Marla) and Robin (David Klein), as well as eight grandchildren,  Emmet, Katy, Mason, Ian, Oliver, Serenity, Addison and Berkeley.  He is also survived by his older brother Ted (Barbara) and sister-in-law Barbara Rutstein and an extended family and countless friends who cherished him.

The funeral will be held on Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 1:00 pm at Temple Emunah in Lexington.  Shiva will be held at the Wolk residence in Boston Monday-Thursday, 1-4pm and 7-9pm.  Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Center for Innovation at Boston Latin School, Hebrew Rehabilitation Services, 1200 Centre St., Roslindale, MA 02131, or the charity of your choice.

Michael Hurwitz, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, died peacefully at 93. Born in Boston in 1931 to Pearl Birnbaum and Dr. David Hurwitz.  Michael lived a life full of accomplishment.

A graduate of Phillips Andover Academy in 1948, Michael went on to Harvard University, where he graduated in 1952, followed by Harvard Business School in 1954. Shortly after, he served his country as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he was proudly stationed on USCG Eastwind -a vessel designed to access military bases in Greenland and Antarctica that would be inaccessible without the use of heavy icebreakers.

On December 22, 1951, Michael married his high school sweetheart, Nancy, beginning a 72-year journey of love and partnership. They shared a beautiful life, attending symphonies, traveling the world, spending time at the beach, playing golf, and creating cherished memories with their family and friends.

Michael, a pioneer in the plastics and packaging industry for over five decades, worked as a partner at Technical Papers Corporation for more than 40 years, where his dedication and innovation made a lasting impact. Outside of his career, Michael was an avid tennis player, a skilled golfer, and a member of the Wellesley Country Club and The Strand in Naples, Florida. In addition to his athletic pursuits, he found joy in skiing and sailing and had a gift for watercolor painting. He was a dedicated member of Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley and The Strand community in Naples, Florida.

Michael is survived by his loving wife Nancy, his brother Alfred Hurwitz (Marge), and his sister Julie Seelig (Michael). He is predeceased by his brother, Stephen Hurwitz.

He leaves behind his children Richard Hurwitz (Lettie), Louise Hurwitz (Sue), and Amy Cooper (Joseph). Michael was a proud grandfather to Samantha Ensslin, Joanna Murphy, Jacob Kahane, Matthew Kahane, Alexandra Cooper, and Elizabeth Stebler and a devoted great-grandfather to Abigail, Harrison, Oliver, Maisie, Myles, Adah, and Rosalind.

Michael’s legacy will live on through the many lives he touched with his kindness, wisdom, and love for his family. His memory will be cherished forever. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to a charity of your choice in Michael’s honor.

Funeral Service will be at Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Rd., Wellesley, on Monday, September 23, 2024 at 10:30AM. Burial at Crawford Street Memorial Park, Baker St., West Roxbury. For a zoom link please visit tbewellesley.org.

Alissa Rebecca Spielberg, 57
July 18, 1967—September 18, 2024

Alissa Rebecca Spielberg, a distinguished educator and legal expert in the field of health law and ethics, leaves behind a legacy of scholarship, health care advocacy, and public service. Alissa entered into rest peacefully in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, September 18, at 57 years of age, at Brigham and Women’s hospital with her loving husband by her side.

Soon after Alissa was born in Boston, her family was stationed for the first two years of her life in El Paso, Texas during the Vietnam War. This is where she found a love for galletitas (cookies) and her Spanish speaking playmates.

The family then moved back from Texas to Boston, settling in Wellesley.  Alissa attended the Red Barn Nursery School in Weston. She then spent two years at Hardy Elementary School in the Wellesley Public Schools, before attending the Meadowbrook School in Weston followed by the Winsor School in Boston, where she graduated in 1985.

It was her desire to be challenged intellectually and her love of Boston history that led her to Winsor, where she rowed crew, developed a love of photography fostered by her time on the yearbook staff, and produced and directed Feiffer’s People, a satirical play written by cartoonist Jules Feiffer.

Alissa spent four formative summers at Buck’s Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp in New Milford, Connecticut. There, she was able to embrace her creative side by furthering her skills in photography as well as learning new crafts, including jewelry making and metalworking. One of her many creations was a Kiddush cup made from silver and acrylic.

For Alissa’s bat mitzvah at temple Beth Elohim in 1980, when it was less common for young women to do so, she was the first young woman to don a tallis for the ceremony.

After graduating from Winsor, Alissa spent her undergraduate years at Columbia University where she studied Philosophy and graduated in 1989. She enjoyed exploring New York City and made the most of her time there.

Alissa found her next academic adventure at Boston College Law School, from which she graduated in 1992. There, she met her future husband-to-be, Sean O’Donnell. Together, Alissa and Sean founded a speakers’ series bringing together students from Tufts Medical School and BC Law to discuss medico-legal issues, bioethics, and end of life decision-making.

Alissa furthered her academic pursuits at the Harvard School of Public Health where she earned her Masters of Public Health in 1993 and at Harvard Medical School where she completed a Fellowship in Medical Ethics in 1998.

As a committed educator, Alissa’s teaching was an extension of her public health calling. She often encouraged students not only to challenge their basic assumptions (and the systems around them) but also to devise practical interventions aimed at reducing harm and making significant positive impacts. Alissa taught at Emerson College, Harvard University, Tufts University, and Wellesley College, where she was the recipient of numerous teaching awards. As an energetic and passionate educator, she helped shaped the careers of numerous students now practicing medicine and public health across the country. Course topics were many and varied and included philosophy, law, history, ethics, gender studies and health care policy. She focused on subjects like feminist bioethics, history of germs, the Warren Court, religion, sexuality, women and health, radical rights, the social lives of drugs, and community health.

Alissa was a respected researcher, writer, and communicator. Her prescient article on use of email in communications between physicians and patients was published in JAMA in 1998. Alissa was a sought-after commentator on NPR, the Washington Post, LA Times, and other news sources. She served on the ethics review committees of several Boston area hospitals, including as a member of the Institutional Review Board (Ethics Committee for Human Subject Research) at The Fenway Institute.

She was a tireless advocate for vulnerable persons and marginalized communities. During the AIDS epidemic, Alissa was awarded a patent on a single-use syringe she devised to reduce infection among at risk intravenous drug-users. In recent years, she worked as a consultant to various pharmaceutical companies to evaluate their own research practices and policies.

Alissa loved to research. She served as the family genealogist. Her curiosity extended beyond her professional work to myriad extracurricular interests from mastering Japanese and Hebrew calligraphy to investigating Feminist revisionist history of the Beatles. She loved the deep dive and brought a scholarly sensibility at every turn.

Alissa loved bringing people together and making connections for others. She was deeply empathetic, protective, generous and inclusive, and loyal to a fault, often putting others’ needs above her own.

She is survived by her beloved husband “Shasha” (of Wellesley), her adoring parents, Drs. Theodore and Deanna Spielberg (of Natick and Brockton) and Asher, her loving, silly and sweet chihuahua. She is also survived by her aunt and uncle, Joan Spielberg Rich and James Rich (of Chevy Chase, Maryland) and her uncle Mark Karlin (of Buffalo, New York) along with many longtime friends, who Alissa cherished throughout her life as her chosen family.

She will be laid to rest in her family plot at Sharon Memorial Park, near her maternal grandparents and her dear aunt Elaine Karlin, whose kindness, thoughtfulness, and strength Alissa admired.

Services will be held on Monday, September 23 at 12:45pm at Sharon Memorial Park at 120 Canton Street in Sharon. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Buck’s Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp (bucksrockcamp.org) or to Partners In Health (pih.org).

Gladys Goldstein Vinograd-Of Brookline, on September 16, 2024.Graveside service at Stepiner Cemetery,

776 Baker St., West Roxbury, on Friday, September 20, 2024 at 11:00 am.

A video link with the recorded funeral service can be found here.

Rosenthal, Mary Sue, of Newton, Massachusetts on September 14, 2024. Beloved wife of Irwin J. Rosenthal (1929-2015). Devoted mother of Teri Carman (John), Scott Kaiser (Cathy) and Alison Kaiser. Step-mother of Aaron Rosenthal (Janet) and Marjorie Rosenthal-Foer (Gordon). Grandmother of Jake Carman (Clara), Tim Carman, and Rachel Kaiser. Great-grandmother of Bridget and Rosalie Carman. Sister of JoAnn Cohn (Earnest). Private graveside services will be held at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, MA on Wednesday, September 18 at 10:45 am. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a later date in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Kenneth “Ken” Finkelstein, of Marblehead, MA passed away September 14, 2024. Husband of Lisa Alkon. Father of Erica Panacopoulos (Charlie), and Seth Finkelstein (Erin Arata). Grandfather of Finn and Xander. Brother of Mark Finkelstein and Michelle Alkon.

Ken grew up in Queens, NY and graduated from Stony Brook University, followed by University of South Carolina where he earned a Masters and Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William and Mary where he earned a PhD in Coastal Geology. He spent almost 40 years as an environmental scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), retiring this past December.

Private service at Sharon Memorial Park. Memorial observance at the home of Lisa Alkon, Tuesday 4-7 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ken’s memory may be made to Joslin Diabetes Center, 1 Joslin Pl., Boston, MA 02215.

A Link to view the recorded funeral service can be found here.

A wise, compassionate, generous, loving man left the world on Friday, September 13. He will be deeply missed by his wife, Jan, of 50 years, his children, Jesse, Lauren, Jonah, and Danielle, his grandsons, Noah and Levi, along with extended family and longtime friends.

Neil cherished the time he spent at the Cape. He loved listening to the waves. As soon as he crossed the Bridge, he would relax. He was a man who worked hard but when he came home, he devoted his time and energy to actively participating in the life of his family. He was always busy taking care of the house and fixing things in the yard as well as enjoying what Boston had to offer and interacting with friends.

He was a Lay Leader in his synagogue, Temple Aliyah. He had a beautiful voice and loved to spontaneously harmonize during services.

Neil received his PhD at Harvard and spent the following year as a Lady Davis Fellow at the Technion in Haifa with Jan, in the early days of their marriage. He was an Environmental Engineer who specialized in expert witness testimony, mainly involving Super Fund Hazardous Waste Cleanup Sites.

He was a modest man who accomplished a lot professionally. He often volunteered to help others. Neil loved life so much that he was willing to do anything to extend his time on earth to be with his family and his precious grandsons.

Funeral Services at Temple Aliyah, 1664 Central Ave., Needham, MA on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 at 11 am. Interment to follow at Beit Olam East Cemetery. Shiva will be at the home of Jan Pevar Monday-Thursday, 6:30 – 8:00 pm, Minya service at 6:45 pm and 2-4 pm Tuesday, and Wednesday. Masks required.

Donations in Neil’s memory may be made to Temple Aliyah c/o Keshet Committee, Gan Yeladim Preschool, or the Charity of your choice.

A link to view the recording can be found here.

95, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL passed away peacefully on September 11, 2024, in Palm Beach Gardens. Cecile was born in 1929 in London, England to Deborah (Shindler) and Harry Silverman.  She and her husband, Ralph, were married in London in 1955.  They emigrated to Boston, Massachusetts in 1963.Cecile is survived by her husband Ralph, children Tony Solomons and his wife Rachel Lushan Solomons, Penny Solomons Christie; grandchildren Rebecca, Ilana, Jonny, Jacob, Daniel, , Jacqueline, Emily, Charlie, and the late Adam. She had four great grandchildren: Bryson, Mila, Cleo, and Adam. Cecile enjoyed reading, painting, crosswords, and spending time with her family. A graveside service will be held at 10:45 AM on Sunday, September 15, at Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon Massachusetts. Memorial Observance to follow at the home of Rachel and Tony Solomons until 6:00pm. Donations in Cecile’s memory may be made to: Gardens Jewish Experience,10800 N. Military Trail, Suite 215, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410.

Katz-Lynne, formerly of Easton, MA, passed away Sept 6, 2024. Devoted mother of Elizabeth Katz, and Benjamin Perlo and his wife Joann. Proud MeMe of Jacob, Jocelyn, and Greyson Perlo. Dear sister of Randi Katz, and the late Larry Katz. Daughter of the late Paul Katz and Bernice Katz. Lynne leaves nephews, great nephews. Funeral service at Sharon Memorial Park on Monday, September 9, 2024 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lynne’s memory may be made to The Boston Home, 2049 Dorchester Ave., Boston, MA 02124.