Obituaries

Daniel F. Cashman, born on October 5, 1946, son of George and Jacqueline and brother to Robert and Deborah, grew up in Wellesley and later graduated from Tufts University in 1968. He served as a VISTA volunteer in Worcester, MA and in the U.S. Army Reserves before attending law school at Cornell University. He spent several years as a staff attorney at Monroe County Legal Assistance Corporation, assisting indigent clients in Rochester, NY, before opening a private practice in Massachusetts focused on representing immigrants seeking asylum or residency in the U.S. In that work, Dan found great meaning, as well as an opportunity to indulge his curiosity about the world. He also earned the distinction of being the only known attorney who happily accepted food in lieu of payment for services.
Throughout his life, Dan remained steadfast in his love for his family and large circle of friends. He was a devoted and caring husband to Suzanne, his wife of nearly 53 years. Together, they took great pleasure in traveling, hiking, reading, being with friends, watching old movies, and most of all, raising their three children: Adam, Rebecca, and David.

He was active as a mentor through the Jewish Big Brother Big Sister Organization for many years, serving as a “big brother” to youth who lacked a father figure in their lives. Dan delighted in playfulness and laughter, and was seldom seen without a wide smile or the twinkle of anticipation that preceded it. He routinely sought out the storytellers among his kids’ friends,
prompting them to repeat the tales or perform the impersonations he found so amusing.

Despite boasting only moderate athletic ability, Dan loved coaching his kids’ sports teams and had a keen eye for drafting and shaping talent, which led to a number of successes, including as the head coach of what he coined the “Pirate Organization” – a Newton Center Little League Champion. He was also the inventor of innumerable playful and silly games that he shared widely with his kids and their friends, and for which he would provide his lighthearted running commentary.

Many of Dan’s friends continued to visit him in his final years, even after Parkinson’s disease had stripped him of his ability to connect through conversation and his unique way of finding the humor in virtually any situation.

Dan is survived by his wife Suzanne; his son Adam and his wife Viviane; his daughter Rebecca and her husband Alex; his son David and his wife Katie; and his grandchildren Ayla, Levi, Eliza, Pauline, Pele, Nori, Aiko, and Lucia.
A Celebration of Life will be held this Spring.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Political Asylum Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project or VNA Palliative and Hospice Care.

Susan Proger Lavine-Of Needham, MA, formerly of Wellesley, MA, passed away December 24, 2023, just short of her 90th birthday. Beloved wife for more than 66 years of the late Edward L. Lavine. Devoted mother of Karen Lavine and her husband Donald Kilpatrick, and Nancy Ostroff and her husband Eric. Cherished grandmother of Daniel and his wife, Sarah Kilpatrick, Eleanor Kilpatrick and her husband, Michael Brown, Jessica Ostroff, and Andrew Ostroff. Proud great-grandmother of Aaron and Leah Kilpatrick, and Tali and Phoebe Brown.  Graduate of the Beaver Country Day School and Wellesley College, she was a middle-school math teacher at her high school alma mater. She had lots of interests but enjoyed spending time with family and friends best of all. The burial service is private. A memorial observance will be held at the home of Nancy and Eric Ostroff  Tuesday evening January 2^nd, 7-9pm. A memorial service will be  scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Anti-Defamation League, 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 or to a charity of your choice.

Peter R. Yaffe

Of Newton, December 23, 2023. Beloved son of the late Wallace and Doris Yaffe. Loving brother of Jeff Yaffe. Devoted cousin of Jacob Abrams, Peter, Michael and Eric Shaw. Also survived by his aunt Linda Shaw and his late uncle Charles Shaw. The funeral service will be private. A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, remembrances in memory of Peter may be made to the American Heart Association @ www.heart.org.

Sara Sherman-Of Brighton on December 22, 2023. Graveside service will be private.

Irv Lemack, son of the late David and Bess Lemack, passed away peacefully on December 21, 2023 surrounded by his loving family.

Irv adored his wife Cynthia of 66 years and together they built a life filled with love, joy, and shared accomplishments. Cherishing family above all else, Irv treasured time spent with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, creating lasting memories.

Irv’s thirst for knowledge led him to pursue a BS in Chemistry and a Master’s in food technology. Education was a cornerstone of Irv’s values, and he tirelessly shared his knowledge with the generations that followed. Whether tutoring his own children or his beloved grandchildren, Irv excelled at instilling a love for learning in those around him. His legacy lives on in the academic achievements of those he influenced, a testament to the impact of his guidance.

Although his professional achievements were notable, Irv’s 15 minutes of fame came in the spotlight of the community musical “The King and I.” His portrayal of “The King” was unforgettable, earning him enduring recognition and endearment. To this day, he is fondly referred to as “The King”.

Irv is survived by his loving wife Cynthia, his children Karen and Jack, Kevin and Laurie, and Lauren and Bruce; his grandchildren Jonathan and Samantha, Jillian and Ivan, Andrew and Steph, Jason and Lindsey, Kyle, Jeremy, Austin and Harrison; and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers and their spouses, Alvin and Phyllis and Bert and Terry, his sister-in-law Elinor, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held on Sunday, December 24, at 9:00 AM at Temple Beth Shalom, 670 Highland Ave., Needham, MA. Burial to follow at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon, MA.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Holz-Jackie, of Stow, MA passed away December 20, 2023, the 8th day of Tevet. Beloved daughter of Carole Perla and John Holz. Loving sister of David Holz. Jackie leaves beloved step-mother Ann Katan.

Graveside service at Framingham-Natick Hebrew Cemetery, 40 Windsor Ave., Natick, MA on Friday, December 22, 2023 at 11:30 am.

Memorial observance at the home of Carole Perla, Saturday 7 – 9 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Congregation Or Atid, c/o Light of the Future Fund, or the George Perla Library Fund, 97 Concord Rd., Wayland, MA 01778.

Mathew “Max” Rosenberg of Milford MA, formerly of Natick MA, passed away Saturday December 16th 2023 after a brief illness. He is the beloved son of Cheryle (Sims) Rosenberg and the late Andrew Rosenberg and brother of the late Mickey Rosenberg.  He is survived by sons Sam and Eli Rosenberg of Milford.  He is the nephew of Leslie Sims and his wife Nancy Thompson of Portland Oregon. As well as his cousin Jennifer Sims of Nebraska.  Joel and Gayle Schindler of Cincinnati Ohio. He is also survived by his nephews Graham and AJ. His beloved friend Ellen Howard, cousins Bob and Brenda, David, Alexander, Scott and Emily of Stoughton, MA. Services will be held Thursday, December 21, at 11:00 am at the Italian American Veterans Post 40, 4 Hayward Field, Milford, MA 01757.  Donations in his memory can be sent to Milford High School c/o School Athletics, 31 West Fountain St., Milford, MA 01757.

Graveside service at Boylston Lodge Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury, MA on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Wounded Warrior, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue, or St. Jude’s Hospital.

Bruce David Rosenblum, 64, of Somerville, Massachusetts, and Phippsburg, Maine, passed away in the early morning of December 13, 2023, after living with ALS for 6.5 years. Bruce was a devoted and loving step-father and father to Jeff (Melissa) and Aaron, an adoring grandfather to Evan, Hannah, and Caleb, and a loving husband of 29 years to Irina Golfman Rosenblum. Bruce is survived by his mother Sandra Rosenblum and sister Laurie Rosenblum.

In 1981, Bruce graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English and History. He then travelled around the world for 27 months, including a computer consulting stint in India and 6 months on an Israeli Kibbutz. Upon return, Bruce settled in the Boston area and started his career as a software developer, working for Turning Point Software where he eventually rose to the position of Vice President. Bruce and Irina married in 1994. In their early years they traveled through Western Europe, including their honeymoon in Sicily, toured the Caribbean Islands, skied in Colorado and New England, and enjoyed spending time with friends and family. After Aaron’s birth in 1997 Bruce joined Inera, the company Irina started in 1992, to help Irina manage the business and take care of the newborn. Bruce liked this new arrangement so much that instead of staying at Inera for the planned 12 months, he settled in and became a lifer. Under Bruce’s tireless guidance, Inera became a leading developer of tools and services in the scientific, medical, and academic publishing fields, and Bruce rose to be recognized worldwide as a leading authority on publishing tools and workflows.

Bruce’s first career as a photojournalist started in high school and continued through college and while traveling the world, and it has inspired Aaron to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Bruce was diagnosed with ALS in 2017. Since the diagnosis he dedicated his time and energy to advancing ALS research by participating in every clinical trial and study he could be accepted into, lecturing to trial coordinators and medical students on ALS patient perspectives, creating ALS resources for publications including UpToDate, and many other forms of ALS advocacy. Bruce loved his care team at Massachusetts General Hospital and, in turn, they loved his dedication and genuine interest in their research. Bruce found the intersection of his professional work and ALS advocacy both fascinating and stimulating.

Bruce continued his professional work for Wiley (the new owner of Inera) and his involvement in advocacy way past the point at which most people would have decided to quit. He participated in a Wiley team meeting on the morning of Thursday, December 7, and was scheduled to talk to medical school students that evening. When his oxygen saturation plummeted while his heart rate and blood pressure skyrocketed on Thursday afternoon, he asked for the talk to be cancelled and, operating his wheelchair with the gyroscopic glasses, drove himself to the nearest emergency room around the corner. Bruce died less than 5 days later at his beloved Massachusetts General Hospital where he was surely happy to have his entire care team visit.

Donations in Bruce’s honor can be made to Compassionate Care ALS, an organization that stood shoulder to shoulder with us through the challenging ALS journey, and the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Funeral Services will be held at 1 pm on Sunday December 17, 2023, at Beth El Temple Center, 2 Concord Ave, Belmont, MA. The interment at Amos Lodge in Wakefield to follow. The family will be observing Shiva at Beth El Temple Center on Sunday evening from 6:30 until 9 pm, and on Monday from 7 pm until 9 pm, with service on both nights. Shiva will continue in Bruce and Irina’s home on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday with visitation hours between 6 pm and 8 pm, with an informal service at 7:00pm.

Michael Godes, 85, passed away on December 11, 2023, peacefully in his sleep at home, with his daughter by his side. He was born on April 27, 1938 in Boston, MA, grew up in Mattapan, MA and was a long-time resident of Randolph, MA and Boca Raton, FL.

He is survived by his sister Rhonda (Arnold) Schaffer; his daughter, Dayna (David) Gardner; his son, David (Jodi) Godes; and his eight grandchildren, Griffin Gardner, Dexter Gardner, Bellamy Godes, Tyler Gardner, Grace Godes, Sydney Gardner, Bailey Gardner and Kylie Gardner.

Michael was a Certified Public Accountant and an alumnus of Roxbury Memorial High School, Boston University and Bentley University. He was founder and long-time partner of the accounting firm Godes, Schaffer & Company and later Kesner, Godes & Morrissey.

Michael was the devoted and loving husband of Jeri (Hurley) Godes and cherished his children and grandchildren. He had many friends whom he loved dearly, and was proud of his participation in, and support for, numerous organizations including the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company.

May his memory be a blessing to all who loved and knew him.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing in Michael’s name to Shriner’s Hospital for Children.

Funeral services for Michael will be held at Sharon Memorial Park at 1:00 pm on Friday December 15. The family will receive visitors following the service from 4:00 – 8:00.