Obituaries

Barbara Lowenstein-Of Newton, MA passed away peacefully at home June 13, 2023, at 90 years of age.

Barbara was devoted to her family, friends, and community. Born on December 14, 1932, in Milford, MA.

She attended Milford High School and Mt. Ida College. Following graduation, Barbara embarked
on a career in retail at Filene’s. She is survived by her devoted husband, Harold, to whom she
was married for 67 years, by her devoted son, Jeffrey, and his wife, Robin and her devoted
daughter, Debra. Barbara was a larger-than-life grandmother to Adam and Marcie, Jason and his
wife, Jodi, Andrew and his wife, Jamie and proud great-grandmother to Zoe and Zac. She is also
survived by her wonderful sisters, Elaine and Claire and her husband, Sidney.

Funeral Service at Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street Newton, MA was held on Friday, June 16,
2023 followed by interment at Natick-Framingham Hebrew Cemetery. In lieu of flowers,
donations in Barbara’s memory may be made to Temple Emanuel Hebrew School, 385 Ward
Street, Newton, MA 02459 or to Hebrew Senior Life, c/o Development Dept., 1200 Centre St.,
Roslindale, MA 02131.

To view the livestream, please click here.

Charlotte Michaelson Frank, age 101 ½ years,  died peacefully in Key Biscayne, Florida on June 11, 2023, surrounded by her family. She spent most of her life in Boston, where in addition to raising 4 sons with her husband Eliot, she evolved from a volunteer to a TV producer at WGBH, recorded books for the blind, opened the Shell Gallery in Newton Center, volunteered at many Boston Jewish organizations, including her pride in being one of the first female Board Members and first woman to get an aliyah at Temple Mishkan Tefila. She travelled the world for 19 years with her husband while he helped develop the textile industry in developing countries under the auspices of the United Nations and IESC. She was admired for her wit and wisdom, known for her dedication to her family and friends.  A world traveler, she was perpetually engaged and interested in the people and cultures she encountered.  She was an avid reader, tennis and bridge player. She always had a story to share and interest in others. She made everyone with whom she spoke feel they were important to her because they were.

She was predeceased by her husband of 49 years Eliot Michaelson in 1991. She was blessed to marry the second love of her life, Seymour (Sy) Frank in 1996, who predeceased her after 21 years of marriage in 2018.  She was also predeceased by her siblings Anne, Jeanette and Herbert, her son Phillip (Ronni), stepdaughter Betsy Cohen (Norman), and daughter in law Anne Taylor, and step grandchild Micah Rosenthal. She is survived by her three sons Martin (and his former wife Susan), Jim, and Richard (Allyn), grandchildren Andrew (Kate), Daniel (Tamara), Jane (Pete), Gail, David and Robyn, and great grandchildren Michael, Eva, Leah, Jackson, and Elliott. She is also survived by stepchildren Marcia, Bill (Christine), Matthew, and Ira (Robyn), step grandchildren Rachel Taylor (Christopher) Hannah Taylor (Colin), Aaron Rosenthal, Teddy Rosenthal (Chantal), Jake Rosenthal, Jeremy Kosh, Brianne Devine (Tom), Louis Cohen (Andrina), Michael Frank, Veronica Batchelor (Sean) and Michael Grossman, and step great grandchildren Josephine and Beatrice LeMon, Maeve Duggin, Garrett and Willa Kosh, Noah Eli and Olivia Devine, Luka and Haze Cohen, Lawson Batchelor.

Her graveside funeral is scheduled for Thursday morning at 11:00 am at Mishkan Tefila Cemetery at 2605 Centre Street, West Roxbury MA, and will be accessible via Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89481676787

The family invites Mom’s Florida friends to visit on Tuesday, June 13th, from 1:00-4:00pm when Martin, Richard and Allyn will be at 1121 Crandon Blvd, Apartment D108 in Key Biscayne.

Shiva will be observed after the funeral service on Thursday at the home of Ronni Michaelson, 83 Elmwood Road, Wellesley MA, from ~1:00 until 5:00pm, and from 7:00 to 9:00pm including minyan.

Shiva will continue on Friday afternoon on Cape Cod at the home of Richard and Allyn Michaelson, 12 Sheeps Crossing Lane, Woods Hole.

On Monday, June 19th, Richard and Allyn will be at the home of Robert and Michele Shaloff, 13-55 Lyle Terrace, Fair Lawn NJ from 1:00-5:00pm and from 7:00 to 9:00pm, including minyan.

If you wish to honor Charlotte’s life, please consider a donation to a non-profit, charitable organization of your own choosing, or one of Charlotte’s favorites, the Rosenstiel for the Ocean Kids program at UMiami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine Science.

A link to view the funeral service via livestream can be found here.

Ladies and gentlemen, gather ’round and listen up, because I’ve got some news to share. Mark Needleman, that son of a gun from Framingham, Massachusetts, kicked the bucket at the ripe old age of 74. Yeah, you heard me right. He passed away right there in his own home on June 11, 2023. Rest in peace, Mark.

Now, let’s talk about the poor souls who have to carry on without him. First up, we’ve got his wife, Debbie, or as she was known back in the day, Debbie Aronson. Then there’s his daughter, Lilly, and his son Alex, who managed to snag himself a wife named Melissa. And let’s not forget the apple of Mark’s eye, his granddaughter Rena. That girl’s got a lot to live up to, let me tell you.

But wait, there’s more! Mark’s got a brother named Stuart and a sister-in-law named Susan. Oh, and we can’t forget about Cindi Silverman and her hubby Rick. They’re part of the surviving crew too. Plus, there’s a bunch of nieces and nephews thrown into the mix. Talk about a full house.

Now, let me give you the lowdown on Mark’s life story. Born and raised in good ol’ Framingham, this guy knew how to make an impression. After he finished up college at Clark University, he made his way back to his hometown to settle down with Debbie. They wanted to start a family, you see. But Mark, he wasn’t content just raising kids. No, sir. He decided to dabble in interior design. Started off by opening up Wallpaper Warehouse in Natick, along with his father-in-law. That was just the beginning, though. Mark had bigger plans. He went on to create his own design firm, Signature Interiors. Boy, this guy had an eye for style.

But you know what really got Mark’s blood pumpin’? Family. Whether they were related by blood or by choice, this man valued his clan like no other. If there was an event happening, you better believe Mark and Debbie were gonna be there, no questions asked. They were the poster couple for attendance. And let me tell you, they didn’t discriminate when it came to occasions. Big or small, near or far, they showed up. And boy, did they celebrate. Every new addition to their circle was cause for a shindig. With friendships that spanned over fifty years, Mark and Debbie always had room at their table.

And here’s a fun fact about Mark: he was a baby whisperer. That’s right, folks. He had a way with those little bundles of joy. Parents would practically throw their babies at him just so they could have a moment of peace. Mark would proudly declare, “I got to play with a baby!” Can you imagine? The man had a gift.

Now, let’s talk about Mark’s involvement in the local Jewish community. He was quite the go-getter, serving on executive boards left and right. Temple Israel of Natick, the Metrowest Jewish Day School, JCAM—you name it, he was there. Oh, and he and his family even started the Needleman Fund for Passport to Israel. They were all about encouraging young folks to take a trip to the Holy Land. Talk about spreading the love.

But that’s not all there is to say about Mark. Oh, no. The man had some serious skills. He could tell a joke like nobody’s business. And let me tell you, his sock collection was a sight to behold. Plus, he had a predilection for good scotch. That’s a man who knew how to enjoy life’s little pleasures.

So, here’s the deal, folks. Mark Needleman is leaving behind one heck of a legacy. Those who had the pleasure of working with him, knowing him, and loving him will always remember him fondly. It’s a damn shame he’s gone, but hey, that’s life, ain’t it?

For those of you who want to pay your respects, the services will be held at Temple Israel of Natick. Be there on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at 11 am sharp. After that, they’ll lay him to rest at the Framingham-Natick Hebrew Cemetery. And don’t worry, they’ve got a memorial reception lined up at Temple Israel of Natick right after the burial. If you’re up for it, head on over to the Needleman home in Framingham for the memorial observance on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings 7-9pm. Oh, and don’t forget about the afternoons. That’s when you can swing by from 2 to 4 pm Wednesday through Friday.

Now, in lieu of flowers, they’re asking for donations in Mark’s memory. You can contribute to the Metrowest Jewish Day School or Temple Israel of Natick. Just make sure you mention it’s for the Passport to Israel, part of the Needleman Fund. That’s the way to honor this man’s memory.

Rest in peace, Mark Needleman. You’ll be missed, buddy.

A link to view the livestream of the funeral service can be found here. 

Of Dedham, MA passed away at NewBridge on the Charles on June 8, 2023, at 98 years of age. Buddy was devoted to family, friends, and community. Born on November 23, 1924, in Brookline, MA, he attended Brookline High School and Middlebury College. After graduation, Buddy embarked on a 40-year career at S. Cohen and Sons, his family’s furniture business. Preceded in death by his wife, Paula, to whom he was married for 55 years, he is survived by his devoted daughter, Marcia Cohen Brier, and her husband Ken. He was a larger-than-life grandfather to Michael Brier and Jennifer Chassin, and proud great-grandfather to Jacob, Max, Ezra, and Naomi. The family would like to thank Buddy’s longtime caregivers, Richard Ssewanyanaa and Jack Rutaigatirwa, for their constant love and devotion in Buddy’s final years.

Funeral Service at Temple Beth Shalom, 670 Highland Ave., Needham, MA on Monday, June 12, 2023, at 10:15 A.M. Following interment at Lindwood Memorial Park, memorial reception will be held at Newbridge until 3:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, donations in Buddy’s memory may be made to Hebrew Senior Life, Hospice Care, c/o Development Dept., 1200 Centre St., Roslindale, MA 02131.

To view the livestream please click here.

Joshua Michael, of Brookline, 41, died peacefully as we sang to him on June 6, 2023. He was surrounded by love and music at The Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, where he was treated due to acute illness.

Josh was born August 31, 1981 in NY, NY to Michael and Carol Michael. He loved people, music, coffee, and a good meal followed by a cookie. He spent many of his summers at Camp Jabberwocky on Martha’s Vineyard where he loved to swim, horseback ride, and sing with friends in a hammock. Josh had strong and loving connections with those who surrounded him, especially at his residence by caregivers Best, Yvrose, Rufus, Alex, Moses and others. Josh navigated the complexities of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex throughout his life, aided by his family and medical team at Massachusetts General Hospital.

He is survived by his loving family – mother Carol Michael, sister, Rachel Michael, brother in law Michael Hession, nieces Evie and Hazel Hession, aunts and uncles Karen and Bill Allen, Alan and Marion Brown, Bob and Bonny Brown, and Suzanne Michael.

He was preceded in death by his father Michael Michael in 2010.

Funeral service will be held at 10 am Friday, June 9, 2023 at Temple Israel, 477 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA (parking on riverway). Burial to follow at Temple Israel Cemetery, 492 North Ave., Wakefield, MA. Shiva at the home of Carol Michael following burial until 5 pm. Saturday 5-9 with Shiva minyan at 7 pm, continuing Sunday 1-8 pm with Shiva minyan at 7 pm. Donations can be made to Camp Jabberwocky, Temple Israel Boston, Mass General Hospital Division of Palliative Care, Mass General Hospital Center for Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.

Ellen Claire Siegel Offner,

December 28, 1940 – June 3, 2023

Kind, courageous, loving, beloved, and a passionate but modest champion of women’s and girls’ rights and empowerment, Ellen Claire Siegel was born on December 28, 1940, in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, to Jack and Lillian Siegel, and was welcomed with joy by her older sister, Toby.

Ellen passed away on June 3, 2023, after a courageous battle with anaplastic thyroid cancer, a rare but extremely aggressive cancer that was unable to repress Ellen’s positivity, warmth, love, optimism, beautiful smile, or enjoyment of the constant flow of friends and family visiting and sharing memories and love.

Ellen’s maternal grandparents were Nathan Lopatin and Jennie Goldin, who both fled Russia for the United States to escape Czarist oppression and antisemitism. Her paternal grandparents were Benjamin Siegel and Tillie (maiden name not known), who emigrated from Romania to the United States.

Ellen attended PS 167 and Prospect Heights High School, both in Brooklyn, and Barnard College in New York City, earning an A.B. in American Studies, despite some cultural and skepticism that a girl should go to college.

While at Barnard and working at a summer camp, she met Arnold Abraham Offner (“Arnie”), a Columbia University student. They fell in love and became a couple for life.

Ellen and Arnie ventured together from Barnard and Columbia to Indiana University, where Arnie earned his PhD in United States History. Ellen worked as an editor at Look Magazine and Indiana University Press. Ellen and Arnie married on April 22, 1962.

In 1963, Ellen and Arnie moved to Syracuse, NY, where Arnie began his first teaching job at Syracuse University. In 1967, Ellen and Arnie welcomed their first child, a daughter, Deborah Offner. In 1968, with Arnie accepting a teaching position at Boston University, the family of three moved to Newton, MA, where, they were told, Jewish families were reasonably welcome. In 1970, Ellen and Arnie welcomed their second child, a son, Michael Offner.

Ellen worked at Little Brown, Houghton Mifflin, and MIT Press, prior to earning her MBA from the Boston University School of Public Management in 1979 as part of the first class including women at the school, and developing cherished friendships with her study group of other women students.

Following her interest in public policy, Ellen worked for the MA State Legislature, including serving as a budget analyst for the MA Senate Ways & Means Committee under the leadership of Chester G. Atkins, learning the inside culture of the center of MA state government known as “Beacon Hill.”

From Beacon Hill, Ellen found her way to a small and young health care organization, Harvard Community Health Plan, later to become Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. She eventually became Vice President for Medicare Programs, creating the First Seniority Program, named the #1 program in the nation for both member satisfaction and clinical quality by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality, reflecting Ellen’s belief that seniors deserve the highest possible levels of medical care and resources.

After moving on from Harvard Pilgrim to spend four years as a Director at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Health Plans, serving MIT students, employees, and retirees, Ellen founded Offner Consulting, LLC, offering strategic planning and program development advice to health care and arts organizations globally.

Her healthcare clients included the University of Michigan; the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in São Paulo, Brazil; and the USAID-supported JFK Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia.

Ellen served on the boards of nonprofits including Planned Parenthood Federation of America; the Mark Morris Dance Group, where she chaired the group’s Dance for PD program for individuals with Parkinson’s disease; and Lasell College of Newton, MA, along with its continuing care retirement community, Lasell Village. Ellen was also on the Boards of Overseers for the Celebrity Series of Boston and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

In 2022, after living in Newton, MA for more than 50 years, Ellen and Arnie moved to Newbridge on the Charles in Dedham, MA, a continuing care retirement community affiliate of Hebrew Senior Life, where Ellen continued to develop countless and cherished new friendships for the two of them with her gregariousness, irrepressible cheerfulness.

In addition to Arnie, Ellen leaves her daughter, Deborah Offner; son, Mike Offner; son-in-law, Sam Roth; daughter-in-law, Lonna Steinberg; grandchildren Julia, Callie, Maddy and Jason; sister Toby Brickner; nieces and nephews Helen Ong, Dan Offner, Emily Hollidge, Stuart Offner, Stacy Offner, and Rocky Offner; and many other relatives along with an always growing collection of the greatest friends one could hope for.

If you wish to honor Ellen’s life, please consider a donation to a non-profit, charitable organization of your own choosing, or one of Ellen’s favorites, including the Mark Morris Dance Group, its Dance for PD (Parkinson’s Disease) affiliate, or Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

A link to view the recording of funeral click here

Myron Yale Cummins 80 of Delray Beach Florida formerly of Holliston passed away peacefully on Friday, June 2nd, 2023.
Myron was born in Boston, MA. To the late Gertrude (Grubert) and Louis Cummins.

In 1960, Myron graduated from Roxbury Memorial High School in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Shortly after earning his diploma, he began to work and later owned Cummins Wardrobe Service, a 3rd generation business in Waban, MA. In his free time, he enjoyed Swimming, Smoking Cigars, and Playing cards with his card group of over 40 years.

He leaves behind his devoted wife Marjorie of 59 years who lovingly cared for him throughout his life and especially as his health declined. He also leaves his loving children Lori Cummins, Robert, and Julie Cummins. He was a loving and proud Grandpa to Gabriella and William Cummins. In addition to his wife, children, and grandchildren Myron is survived by his sister Toby (Stanley) Orel, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Mildred and his brother Herbert.

Myron and Margie lived many years in Holliston and truly enjoyed entertaining. His children, grandchildren, siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends, especially around his much-loved pool while smoking his trademark cigar and tending to his beautiful yard.

Graveside service at Shara T’Filo Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury, MA, on June 6, 2023 at 11:00 am. Shiva to follow at 12 Ruthellen Rd., Holliston until 4:00 pm and 6:00 to 8:00 pm, continuing Wednesday from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Donations can be made to the Diabetes Foundation or any charity for the Hearing Impaired

Vivian Hannah Lewis

Vivian Hannah Lewis, nee Oppenheim, died May 31^st, 2023, following a recent diagnosis of metastatic cancer. She was 81 years old.

She was predeceased by her husband, Paul Murray Lewis, in December 2022. They were married for 58 years and are survived by their daughter Malia Lewis (Margot Damaser), son Raphael (Ray) Lewis (Kathryn Sillman), and grandchildren Claude, Ella, Sophie, Theodore, and Jules.

Vivian was born in the Bronx in 1941, the only child of German-Jewish refugees, and raised in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan. She was educated at the Bronx High School of Science and Radcliffe College, from which she graduated Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa in 1962. She completed a master’s degree in History from UC Berkeley and her PhD coursework at the University of London.

Following her graduation from Radcliffe, Vivian traveled to Europe where she met Paul, assisting him in retrieving a lost suitcase containing a pair of red pajamas from the train station master in Vienna. There followed a peripatetic courtship, with Paul, at the time a cub reporter at The Financial Times of London, using the paper’s resources to send Vivian messages as she continued touring Europe. Vivian and Paul were wed in 1964 and initially lived in London. Their marriage was defined by Paul’s numerous postings, foreign and domestic, initially for the FT and then The New York Times: Brussels, Paris, Washington, DC; New York City, a return to Paris, and then back to New York.

Lacking funds to finish her dissertation, Vivian started working as a journalist for BusinessWeek magazine in the mid-60s. After moving to Washington, DC in 1971, she joined Senator Clifford Case as his staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Upon returning to Paris in 1977 she resumed working as a journalist, initially for CBS’s 60 Minutes then as a freelance. In 1988, back in the United States, she founded a financial newsletter, Global Investing, that focused on American Depository Receipts, foreign companies listed on US exchanges, marrying her life-long passions for investing and all things international. She continued publishing her newsletter until 2022.

Vivian relished the nickname “Naughty Nana” given to her by her grandchildren and all through her life took delight in flaunting conventions when she saw them as excessively rigid. An adventurous cook, in Paris she learnt how to prepare authentic Indian food from the spouse of the Indian Ambassador to France and later introduced her grandchildren to the joys of multicolored matzah balls for Passover. Even as her body faded, Vivian’s spunky sense of humor, pink outfits, and bright smile continued to light up the room.

Shiva for Vivian will be held at Ray and Kathy’s home on Saturday, June 3^rd starting at 7pm.

Beloved husband, father, brother and friend 

Hal J. Strausberg, 68, of Newton, MA passed peacefully in his sleep on May 27, 2023 after a long illness. He was predeceased by his parents, Sam and Milly, and his sister Arlene. He is survived by his loving wife, Alison Husid Strausberg, and his three precious children, Andrew, Michael and Sophie. Hal is also survived by his sisters, Nana Stark (Alan) and Susan Tucker (Larry) and many cherished nieces and nephews.

Hal was raised in Brooklyn, NY, and Thousand Oaks, CA before finally settling in Massachusetts. He was a skilled software engineer whose career ended prematurely due to illness. Hal was a fighter. He consistently defied the medical odds, amazing everyone he encountered with his strong will to live. He loved his family immensely and was determined to be there for them.  He was also a man of knowledge. He loved science and history and gave many a lesson at the dinner table. Hal was a man of few words, but many actions. He touched everyone with his kind gestures, dry sense of humor and wide, dimpled smile and will be missed by all who knew him.

The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 1pm at Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington St, Auburndale, MA. Interment will follow at Mishkan Tefila Memorial Park, 2690 Centre Street, West Roxbury.  Shiva will be held at Hal’s home after interment, as well as Thursday through Sunday 5pm-9pm.  In lieu of flowers, please help a person in need. Donations may be made to American Friends of Magen David Adom, Fathers and Families Coalition of America or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

On May 29, 2023, E. David Levy, 76, of Sharon, MA, passed away peacefully after a hard-fought battle with cancer and heart disease. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Wendy; loving children, Douglas (Jessica) Levy and Robin (Justin) Gray; adoring grandsons, Dylan Levy and Jacob Gray; and dear sister, Eleanor (Allan) Goldman. He was predeceased by his father, Jacob Levy, and mother, Ida Stone, as well as his sister Carol (Earl) Willens.

David was a highly respected attorney, who fought for those underrepresented as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, as well as a civil servant. He served as an assistant district attorney for the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office from 1975 to 1981 before going into private practice. In 1999, he returned to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, where he proudly served as chief of Civil Rights and director of District Court Training until he retired in 2011. He also was a member of the Sharon Zoning Board of Appeals from 1985 until 2000, and he was active in the Norfolk County Bar Association and the Norfolk County Bar Advocates, as well as the Massachusetts Bar Association. In 2004, David was honored with the Timothy J. Spillane, Jr. Outstanding District Court Prosecutor Award. Passionate about the law with a strong moral compass, some of his proudest moments in his career involved standing up for the little guy and passing on his experience to aspiring attorneys. Even in his retirement, he spent his time volunteering as a legal advocate for the Women’s Lunch Place.

Despite the serious nature of his work, David found joy every day, and he was known to carry a kite in his suitcoat pocket or the trunk of his car, sometimes pulling over for an impromptu flight. A lifelong sailor, David spent the summers of his youth on the Charles River and off the shores of Cape Cod. In his later years, he spent many weekends and Wednesday nights at the Massapoag Yacht Club, leaving his children with such fond memories that his daughter chose it as the site of her wedding. A proud father, he drove miles to watch his son play baseball, and later across the country to see him umpire. The best photos ever taken of David are of him dancing with his wife. He passed the same jar of peanut butter back and forth with his Aunt Ruth every Hannukah to make her laugh. He told stories – real and fictionalized – of the Jordan Road Gang, his friends since elementary school, and in retirement he reunited with his best friends from law school for weekly “guys nights.” He wore his “Zayde” t-shirt proudly. He was the kind of guy who would set reminders for his adult kids’ pets’ birthdays and send dog treats in the mail.

David leaves a legacy of fidelity – to family, friends and community – and his light and laughter will live on in all who knew him. His funeral will take place at Temple Sinai in Sharon on Thursday, June 1 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be at Sharon Memorial Park. Memorial observance will take place at Temple Sinai starting at 12:30.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Women’s Lunch Place, P.O. Box 170900, Boston, MA 02117 or the ACLU, Gift Processing Department, 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10004