Obituaries

Crowder, John C., passed away peacefully at his home in Chestnut Hill, MA, on May 15, 2022, at the age of 85. He leaves his beloved wife Janice Lane Crowder, his devoted daughter Sabrina Crowder Preston, dear grandchildren Briana, and Brian Adams, Nola and Naomi Preston, and great grandchildren Wesley and Wade Olden. He leaves his loving sister in law Ellen S. Lane of Westport, CT, and dear nieces and nephews Arielle Traub and her husband Ethan Prosnit, and Dana and Garhett Solomon and their children.

Johnnie was a loving, caring man who made people feel good about themselves. He was sympathetic and empathetic, non-judgmental honest and gave unconditional love. He had a great smile that would light up a room when he walked in along with his infectious laughter. People just wanted to be around him. John taught music and was an avid jazz fan. He read all the biographies of the jazz greats. His interests also included playing and watching tennis and he enjoyed all sports. His zest for living life was ever present!

A celebration of Johnnie’s life will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the American Lung Association, 55 W. Wacker Dr., #1150, Chicago, IL, 60601, or Boston Medical Center, Office of Development, 801 Mass Ave., 1st Floor, Boston, MA 02118. Please write Geriatrics on memo line of check.

To view the service live please click here.

Amy (Berger) Schneier of Wellesley, MA, unexpectedly passed away on May 17, 2022 at the young age of 68. Beloved wife of Eliot Schneier. Daughter of the late Freda and Melvin Berger. Greatest mother to Abby Schneier Williams and her husband, Greg, and Adam Schneier and his wife, Jennifer. Cherished grandmother of Madison and Lexie Schneier. Loving sister of Michael Berger and his wife, Debra, and Alex Berger.

Amy will be remembered for her love and devotion to her family, thoughtfulness, and generosity to others. A loyal friend, Amy always brought her smile and positive outlook on life. Her spunky personality and quick wit always kept those around her laughing. All who knew her, loved her, and she will be greatly missed.

Services in The Chapel of Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, on Sunday May 22, 2022, at 10 am. Masks will be required. Following the interment, a memorial observance will be held at the home of Adam and Jennifer Schneier on Sunday until 7:00 pm, and Monday 2-4 and 7-9 pm. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, 72 River Street, Suite 202, Needham, MA 02494.

Fine, Dr. Albert Hessel, of Tilton, NH, and formerly Newton and Revere, passed May 17, 2022. He was the beloved father of Peter, Jeffrey, Natalie Fernsebner, and Jenifer Fine-Loven, the proud Papa to Jeremy, Audrey, Ezra, Hallie, Melon, and Tess, and cherished Uncle Al to his deeply adored nieces and nephews. His former wife Marcia, whom he met when he was 15, remained his friend until the end. Al was the partner of his dear Janie Francis Gavin, who
worked along side him at Somerville hospital for nearly 40 years. Services at 2:00 pm at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, MA on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Shiva to follow from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the home of Jeff Fine. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Jewish World Services (AJWS.org), an organization that helps those in need all over the world.

Wyzanski, Bernice (Lovitt), of Brookline MA, passed away peacefully on May 17, 2022.  Born and raised in Worcester, the youngest of 4 siblings, she was the beloved wife of the late William Wyzanski. A Brookline resident for 55 years, she was the devoted mother of Steven and his wife Stacey of Revere, Mark of Brookline and Eliot and his wife Kirsten of Walpole. Loving grandmother of Robert, Samuel and his fiancé Hailey, Sofie, Seth, Alana, Addison and Victoria. Proud great-grandmother of Jaiden, Anthony and Dominick.  Also survived by nephews Arnold and his wife Jackie and Robert and his wife Stephanie, all of Miami FL, along with many great-nephews and nieces.  In her later years she enjoyed volunteering in the building she resided in, Hebrew Senior Life.  Her other hobbies included spending time with her family, playing mah-jong with friends, attending Broadway shows, and cheering for our great Boston sports teams. Graveside service at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon MA, on Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 2:45 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bernice’s name to the charity of your choice.

When David R. Kuppenheimer died at 71, on May 16, 2022, we lost a loyal brother and friend, and our world became a little less kind, less thoughtful, less funny.

He  was predeceased by his parents Selma (Hauser) Kuppenheimer and John Daniel Kuppenheimer, and his brother John D Kuppenheimer Jr.  He is  survived by his brother Robert B. Kuppenheimer and his wife Nancy of Corona Del Mar California, with whom he talked every day, and during his long courageous struggle with prostate cancer,  often more.

David had a twenty-year career in mental health and human services and for many years ran a treatment program for incarcerated sexual offenders in the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. He graduated from Doherty High School in Worcester and received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master of Human Services Management from Brandeis University in 1981.

He was committed to social justice in his work and through his generous support of many institutions for victims of poverty and injustice. As a long-time Board member of Emerge, a non-profit agency providing treatment and education for abusers, in Cambridge, MA, and as a member of the Newton Human Rights Commission (2018-2022) he spoke out for social justice, gun control and against the death penalty. He was a member of the international multidisciplinary Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers since 1994.

David’s deepest connections were with a circle of friends;  rounds of golf, trips to Fenway, an annual outing with a foursome,  Thanksgiving gatherings, elegant Christmas dinners,  and always concerts.  The music of Springsteen, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, BB King and more.  And food – he tracked all the new restaurants and was a wonderful cook. He was a member of many families.  He was part of their lives, marriages, births, baptisms and birthdays, and a special godfather to one.

Celebration of life to be held Monday, August 8, 2022 at Gore Place, 52 Gore St., Waltham, MA.

Service at 12:30 pm followed by a BBQ luncheon- all are welcome.

Donations in memory of David may be made to Southern Poverty Law Center, www.splcenter.org or World Central Kitchen, www.wck.org.

Lawrence “Larry” Kotin, of Cambridge MA. Born 1940 in Monticello, NY, raised in South Fallsburg, NY, educated in New York and Paris, and devoted resident of Cambridge, MA for 44 years. Beloved son of Edward Kotin and Ada (Gerson) Kotin, and brother to David and John Kotin. Devoted father to Alison Kotin and Jack Kotin. Proud grandfather to Ada Kotin Webb. A pioneer in the field of special education law in Massachusetts, and founding partner of Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP, Larry’s tireless advocacy for families of children with special needs and the universal right to education continues to inspire. A devoted colleague, treasured neighbor, beloved grandfather, father, father-in-law, brother, and uncle, and an open-hearted friend to any person in need.

Services were private. Donations may be made in Larry’s honor to GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (https://www.glad.org) or the Federation for Children with Special Needs (https://fcsn.org).

KAPLAN, Susan Leslie, of Framingham, on May 15, 2022. Daughter of the late Herman and Esther (Milton) Steckerl.  Beloved wife of Arthur H. Kaplan. Devoted mother of E David Kaplan and Laura Eve Waldman. Cherished grandmother of Emily and Katy Waldman and Sarah Kaplan. Loving sister-in-law of Dr. Joshua M. Kaplan and sister of Ellen Rosenblatt.

Graveside service will be held at Or Emet Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury, MA on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at 11AM. Following interment, family and friends are invited to gather at Golden Temple, 1651 Beacon St., Brookline, MA at 12:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org.

To view the livestream of the service at Temple Beth Shalom please click here.

To view the interment service at Sharon Memorial Park at approximately 11:30am  please click here.

of Brookline, on May 13, 2022. Beloved husband and best friend of Devra (Kimball) Lasden. Devoted father of Susan Young, Stephen Lasden and Cynthia Lasden. Cherished grandfather of Marisa Young and Lina Lasden. Dear brother of the late Lillian Morse and  brother-in-law of Margie Kimball. Loving uncle of Audrey and Donald Garcia, Marcia and Greg Roy, and Heidi and Jeff Popkin. Also survived by many great nieces and nephews. Don was a father and grandfather figure and a great friend to all. Services will be at Temple Beth Shalom, 670 Highland Ave., Needham, MA on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 10AM. Masks are required. Interment to follow at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon, MA. Family and friends are welcome to visit at the home of Heidi and Jeff Popkin – 58 Hillside Avenue in Needham – immediately following the interment until 7:30 pm and on Wednesday from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.  The shiva visitation will be held outdoors.  A minyan service will be held on Tuesday evening towards the end of the visitation. Remembrances may be made to the Grebber Memorial Fund at Temple Beth Shalom, Needham. https://www.tbsneedham.org/donate

Dr. Joel Vincent Weinstock passed away on Saturday, May 7, 2022.  An international pioneer in the study and treatment of inflammatory conditions of the digestive system, Dr. Weinstock coined the term “hygiene hypothesis” – the theory that raising children in extremely hygienic environments has an adverse impact on immune development, predisposing them to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other immunological disorders later in life.  Dr. Weinstock is world-renowned for his innovative and extensive research on helminths – small, parasitic worms, once more common in the intestinal tract, that have shown to be protective against IBD.

Born on March 21, 1948 in Detroit, Michigan to middle-class parents Esther and Herman Weinstock during the height of the space race, Joel developed his knack for medicine and ingenuity at an early age.  After finishing high school, Dr. Weinstock won a full scholarship to Wayne State University School of Medicine, where he graduated at the top of his class. He completed his residency and fellowship at University Hospitals and Clinics of Michigan in Ann Arbor before returning to Wayne State as Vice-Chief in the Division of Gastroenterology, where he cultivated his expertise in inflammatory bowel disease, publishing breakthrough papers in the new era of study involving granuloma development and immune regulation.

At the age of 35, Dr. Weinstock left Wayne State to become Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and of the Digestive Disease Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, positions he held for 19 years until 2005, when he became Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, a position he held for the following 15 years.

Dr. Weinstock was known professionally as a devoted physician leader, researcher, educator, and fierce advocate for his patients and their families. He often gave patients his home telephone number.  His laboratory was awarded millions of dollars in decades of funding to active research programs, encompassing basic science through clinical trials related to IBD.

As devoted as Dr. Weinstock was to fathering breakthroughs in his field of study, Joel was an equally devoted and successful husband and father to his family. He was an avid student of history, lover of nature, director of projects, appreciator of culture, and a loyal friend to many. Joel was especially fond of multi-colored lilies throughout his garden that he affectionately called his fireworks.

Dr. Weinstock is survived by his wife of 40 years, Alison, and their adult children Lisa, Jeff, and Andrew, who all reside in the Boston area.  A funeral service will take place on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 11:30 am at Beit Olam East Cemetery, 44 Concord Rd., Wayland, MA 01778.

For livestream link to view funeral service click here.

On Saturday, May 7, 2022. Predeceased by his beloved wife, Jane Ellen (Covitz) Greenfield, parents Sidney and Claudia Greenfield, and sister Joan Greenfield. Arthur leaves his brothers-in-law David Covitz and wife Karen and William Covitz and wife Catherine. He was the beloved uncle of Dr. Lynne Hardy and husband Drew, Amy Arnold, Rabbi Mark Covitz and wife Stacy, Robert Covitz and wife Rabbi Stephanie, Jeffrey Covitz and wife Elizabeth, and many great-nieces and nephews. Dear Cousin of Ronald Lefton and his wife Deborah, and Jane Ellen Greenfield and numerous cousins. Arthur’s service will be held on Friday, May 13, 2022, at Sharon Memorial Park at 10:45 am. Please go to Brezniakfd.com for livestream link. Remembrances in Arthur’s memory may be made to Hebrew Senior Life,1200 Centre St., Roslindale, MA 02131.