Obituaries

Walter Randall Ployer (Wally) passed away at home peacefully on the morning of November 29, 2022 after a brief illness.

For anyone that knew Wally, they knew that he was a loyal and devoted husband to his wonderful wife Amy of over 27 years.  He was loved and adored by his two younger brothers, Scott and the late Bobby Ployer.  He was also a devoted son to the late Frances (Gunning) and Walter Ployer.  Wally was an awesome brother-in-law to Dori Bryan-Ployer and his other in-laws.  He was an outstanding role model uncle, great uncle, cousin, nephew and friend to so many. In addition to his own family, Wally was an “honorary” member of the Cadman Family.  Army SSG Section Leader and Brookline Fire Fighter Brian Cadman, his wife Laura, their children and extended family had a very close bond with Wally.  Everyone always knew they could count on Wally.

Wally enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1969 and volunteered for two tours in Vietnam during his four-year enlistment.  He was a scout dog handler with the 196^th Light Infantry Brigade – Americal.  Upon returning to the U.S., he was a military police officer at Fort Hood, TX and Fort Sill, OK.  During his time in Vietnam, he was awarded numerous decorations including the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, and an Army Commendation Medal, among others.

Wally’s funeral service will take place at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA with Military Honors on Monday, December 5^th at 11:15 am.

A Memorial Gathering will be held at a later date.

Wally will be remembered for his courage, strength, loyalty, reverence, humor, story-telling, compassion and unconditional love of and respect for dogs.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Wally Ployer to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  ASPCA.ORG

Esther Felisa Kalisky (nee Sotenberg) died at her home in Lincoln on Sunday November 27, 2022, at the age of 94. She is survived by her three children, Lyvia, of Jerusalem, Ilona, of Waltham, and Matthew Kalisky, of Newton, and her two grandchildren, Zara Kalisky-Tetreault, of Acton, and Coltrane Kalisky-Tetreault, of Waltham.

Esther, the youngest of two children, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 31, 1928 to Jacob and Elena Sotenberg, who left Poland to escape the persecution of Jews in their homeland.

After finishing high school, Esther traveled to the United States in 1949 with her mother to live with an aunt and attend junior college. In 1950, she met the son of a family friend, Avram Kalisky, whom she married 3 months later. They were married for 69 years until he died in 2019, raising their family in Sudbury.

There are many things that can be said about Esther-she spoke 4 languages, still dreaming in Spanish at times. She lived in Israel twice-once in the 50’s and once from 1972-1989.

She never really knew her grandparents or many of her extended family most of whom had remained in Poland. As a result, she moved back to the States when her first grandchild was born and was a constant presence in her grandchildren’s lives, always living close by.

She always worked outside of the home, but never really had a career. She made many of her daughters’ and granddaughter’s dresses as well as her own. She loved art-and had wanted to be an artist when younger. She loved to knit and read, joining groups for both. She loved to travel. Her last trip was to Israel with her grandchildren in 2017.

She was a staunch feminist, reacting with a smile when told that the Democrats were keeping control of the Senate. Her grandchildren will maintain until their dying day that the repeal of Roe v. Wade is what killed her. She did not suffer fools gladly. Esther would never shy away from giving her opinion, sometimes causing those around her to cringe. Her highest compliment was to say that someone “sparkled”. In her opinion not too many people met that standard. If you did something that she thought was noteworthy, it felt like the sun was shining on you and you alone.

Having dealt with several serious health issues during her life, Esther decided to donate her body to Harvard Medical School, so no funeral service will be held.

We would like to thank those who provided care for Esther-Sudbury River Home Care and Care Dimensions Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Esther’s name can be made to the Lincoln Council on Aging, Friends of the Lincoln Library or Planned Parenthood.

Joyce Ann Fishman, of Newton, Massachusetts. Joyce fought a long and courageous battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). Joyce was born in Waukegan, Illinois. She earned a B.A. and a Master’s degree from Northwestern University and a J.D. degree and a Ph.D. from Boston College. Joyce practiced construction and franchise law early in her career, and she taught at Boston College for the last twenty-nine years. For forty-four years the beloved wife of Donald A. Fishman and the devoted mother of Karen J. Fishman. Preceded in death by her parents, Stephanie and Joseph. She is survived by her husband, Don; daughter, Karen (Alex) of Newton, Massachusetts; and her sister, Patricia of Wadsworth, Illinois. Joyce’s charm, humor, kindness, and generosity will be missed by all. The family wishes to acknowledge its gratitude and appreciation to Whitney Fernandez, Joyce’s principal nurse and compassionate caregiver, and to Dr. Edward Legare, who supervised her care. Private family services will be held. In lieu of flowers, remembrances and donations may be made to CurePSP, at psp.org.

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

Of Needham, age 57, on November 21, 2022. Beloved husband of Cynthia (Sodowich). Adored father of Julia and Charlotte. Lee was a cherished family member, friend and colleague to so many and will be dearly missed. Services at Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, on Friday, November 25, 2022, at 11:00am with burial to follow at Sharon Memorial Park. Shiva at Temple Beth Shalom following interment until 4:30pm, continuing Saturday and Sunday from 5-8 pm at the Silverman home. In lieu of flowers, remembrances in Lee’s memory may be made to Mass General Cancer Center.

Raymond Mannos of Chestnut Hill, MA, Boston, MA and Miami Beach, FL passed away on Saturday, November 19, 2022 in the comfort of his home in Miami Beach. He was adored by all who knew him. Beloved son of the late Edythe and Paul Mannos. He leaves behind his sister Nancy Sommer and her husband Bill of Brookline, MA and his niece Lindsay Merowitz and her husband David and their two children Zachary and Ava of Brookline, MA. He will be greatly missed by all. Services in The  Chapel at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon, on Sunday, November 27, 2022, at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

Barbara “Bobbie” Agruss Sherman, of Newton, MA., passed peacefully on Nov. 17, 2022 at age 94. Wife of the late Norman Sherman. She is survived by her children, Carole Sherman Rothstein and her husband Kenny Rothstein of Chestnut Hill, Marti Sherman Breden and her partner Alessandro Ucciferri of Framingham, Suzy Sherman Wehrli and her husband Karl Wehrli of Sherman Oaks, CA., and Barry and Michelle Sherman of Framingham. Also survived by her grandchildren Nicholas Breden, Jennifer Sherman Brousell and Keith Sherman. She was a strong feisty woman and she will be missed. Mom to all. Graveside Service will be held at Shara Tfilo Cemetery, 776 Baker St. West Roxbury, MA, on Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 12:00 PM. Shiva will follow immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to the American Cancer Society @ www.cancer.org.

To view the livestream please click here.

Paul B. Waitze, formerly of Stoughton and Sharon, MA, passed away on November 15, 2022 at the age of 85. Born March 19, 1937 in Boston, he was the oldest son of the late Jacob and Eva (Hurst) Waitze. He graduated from Roxbury Memorial High School for boys in 1954 and from the University of Rhode Island in 1958, where he was enrolled in the Army ROTC program. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army and served at Ft. Lee, Virginia.  Prior to moving to Virginia, Paul married his high school sweet-heart, Cynthia Malkin.  Upon leaving the service, Paul started his own trucking company, Tri State Transport Inc..

Paul was passionate about boating and fishing, spending many summer weekends with his friends and family in the waters off of Nantasket Beach.  He was also a true New England sports fan, having, at one time, season tickets to the Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots.  It was the Patriots though who truly stole his heart. Paul was also active for many years in the Knights of Pythias fraternal order in Massachusetts, and served on the Board of the Bridge Center, a camp for children and young adults with physical and cognitive disabilities.

Paul’s greatest passion however were his grandchildren, Emily and Matthew Callan, Brady and Melanie Waitze, Caitlin, Sarah, Aidan and Grace O’Sullivan.  Paul is survived by his ex-wife, Cynthia Malkin, his  brother and sister-in-law, Peter and Lois Waitze, and his three children and their spouses, Linda (Waitze) and Chris Callan, Jeff and Liz Waitze, and Deanne (Waitze) and Sean O’Sullivan.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a service on Monday, November 21, 2022 at 10:00am at the Chapel at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, with burial to follow at Sharon Memorial Park.

Shiva will be observed at Temple Kol Tikvah, 9 Dunbar Street, Sharon on Monday, November 21st  between the hours of 4-7pm with a Kaddish at 6pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Paul’s name may be made to the Fisher House of Boston  https://fisherhouseboston.org/ or Tunnels to Towers https://t2t.org/

Marsha Rose Ovrut of Sutton, MA, entered into rest peacefully on November 15th, 2022 after a tremendous fight against cancer. Formerly of Plainview, NY. Beloved wife of Neal Lipsitz. Dear mother of Hayley (Adrian) Paquin and Geoffrey Lipsitz. Devoted Mimi of Brayah and Aria. Loving sister of Barney (Marlene) and Melissa Ovrut. Predeceased by her loving parents, Sophie and Henry Ovrut. She leaves many friends and family members. Marsha enjoyed traveling, scrapbooking, and spending time with her granddaughters, friends, and family. Services will be held at Temple Sinai, 25 Canton St, Sharon, MA on Friday, November 18 at 11:00am. Burial to follow at Sharon Memorial Park. Shiva will be held at the Lipsitz home on Saturday, November 19 between the hours of 6-9 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Marsha’s memory may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society www.lls.org or Eye to Eye (a national mentoring program between college and middle school students with learning differences) www.eyetoeyenational.org.

Ann Moll, age 88, of Dedham, formerly of Merrick and Freeport, New York, passed away peacefully at home after a long illness, on November 14, 2022. Ann was predeceased by her parents, Leopold and Ethel Hirsch, and her siblings Muriel Lukashok, Alan Hirsch and Herbert Hirsch.

Ann moved to NewBridge on the Charles in 2020 so that she could be closer to children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Ann loved NewBridge, her fellow residents (especially her many friends on 3^rd Floor of the 3000 Building) and the staff. Ann was lucky enough to live just one door away from her son’s in-laws, Dr. Paul Chervinsky and the late Elaine Chervinsky, close friends for over three decades.

She became involved in many initiatives at NewBridge and totally embraced its learning environment. Her garden, and the tomatoes and flowers it produced, were of great pride to her, but nothing gave her more joy than the pumpkin it produced this past growing season.

Ann began her career in early-childhood education. She later worked for the national homebuilder Kaufman & Broad. Her yellow hardhat painted with flowers by one of her colleagues exists to this day. Subsequently, she became a textile broker and started her own company: Woman of the Cloth. In her 80s, she returned to teaching in the Head Start Program on Long Island and took great joy in reading each week to students in the Dedham Public Schools when she moved to Massachusetts.

Ann had numerous avocations. She loved art and museums; was a voracious reader; a participant in Daf Yomi-a daily regimen of learning the Oral Torah and its commentaries; and was a fearless traveler, her most recent voyage on a working freighter to Tahiti.

Ann is survived by her children, Jonathan and Debbie Moll of Newton, David and Stacy Moll of Massapequa, New York, Amy Pink and Fred Lipsky of New York and Costa Rica; by her grandchildren, Danny Moll and his wife Marina of Boston; Benjie Moll and his wife Anna; of Newton; Emily Moll of Buffalo, New York; and Nikki Moll of Massapequa, New York; by her  great-granddaughters, Sophie and Janey Moll and Maddie Moll;  by her niece, Beth Hirsh of New York, New York; and by her beloved friend, Charles Lipson. 

Ann was incredibly well cared-for by Victoria Lutaaya, Maggie Kigundu, Betty Nagawa, Joy Mugamba and Antoinette Ntananga.

The funeral will be private. Donations in Ann’s memory may be made to Congregation NewBridge c/o Hebrew Senior Life, Development Office, 1200 Centre Street Boston, MA 02131 or Dorot, 171 West 85th Street, New York, NY 10024 (https://www.dorotusa.org/donate).

On November 11, 2022, Henry Rosovsky, Dean Emeritus of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor Emeritus, died at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts at the age of 95. Henry was known for his work in economics, his legacy as innovative administrator, and his impact as a lifelong educator at Harvard. His sharp intellect, dry humor, and immense spirit defined his character throughout his life. Henry was remarkably generous with his time and mentorship, imparting congenial wisdom to his friends, family, and colleagues.

Henry was born in Danzig in 1927 to Selig and Sonia Rosovsky. Due to the rise of Nazism, he moved with his parents and brother to Brussels, then fled through France as the German army entered Belgium. They reached the United States in December 1940, helped by luck, bravery, and the generosity of strangers and friends alike. These experiences left him a critic of the injustices experienced by many people throughout the world and committed to repairing them wherever he could.

Henry graduated from William and Mary College in 1949 and then became a graduate student at Harvard. He began his teaching career at the University of California at Berkeley. He moved to Harvard in 1966, where he served as chair of the Economics Department, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Acting President of Harvard University, and sat on the Harvard Corporation. His many professional contributions included recommending the establishment of an Afro-American studies concentration at Harvard, developing the nation’s first undergraduate Core Curriculum, and leading professional development for educational administrators. Henry was also a beloved mentor and friend to his colleagues and former students, who fondly recall many vigorous lunches spent at Legal Seafoods. In particular, he took tremendous pride in the accomplishments and successes of all his former students.
His stellar academic career was interspersed with military service. Henry volunteered for the Army in World War II, including service in France and attendance at the Nuremberg trials. He served in South Korea from 1950-1952, receiving a Purple Heart for his feet, which were frozen in the retreat from the Yalu River. He was then sent to a listening station in Northern Japan, where he grew interested in the Meiji Restoration and Japanese economic history. This exemplifies the intellectual curiosity Henry brought to every situation, constantly inquisitive about the world around him.

Henry wrote several books including Capital Formation in Japan, in which he describes how Japan rapidly transformed from a feudal society to a world power, and The University: An Owner’s Manual, an examination of higher education’s purpose and structure. In addition, Rosovsky is the author of Quantitative Japanese Economic History and, with K. Ohkawa, Japanese Economic Growth. He also edited many works on Japanese and Asian economic development.

Henry received many achievement awards and over 25 honorary degrees, and was a member of numerous professional associations, advisory boards, and corporate boards. He taught as a visiting professor in Japan and Israel and has worked variously as a consultant with the United States government, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and UNESCO.

Henry Rosovsky is survived by his wife of 66 years, Nitza Rosovsky; his three children Leah, Judy and Michael Rosovsky and their spouses, Jay Liebowitz, Kristen Mullins and Rachel Greenberger Rosovsky. He will be missed by his grandchildren, Benjamin McIntosh (Emma Labrot McIntosh), Sarah McIntosh, Abigail Rosovsky, and Ella Rosovsky, and his great-granddaughter Delilah McIntosh.

Services will be held at Temple Israel, 477 Longwood Ave, Boston, on November 16, 2022 at 10 AM. Interment to follow at Newton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Checks made out to the President and Fellows of Harvard College may be mailed to Harvard University, PO Box 419209, Boston, MA 02241-9209 or donations may be made online at https://alumni.harvard.edu/giving/givenow. Please include a note that the gift is in memory of Henry Rosovsky for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.