Archive: May, 2024

SHARE, Dorothy Our dear mother, Dorothy Share, of Boston, Massachusetts passed away peacefully in the hospital on May 3, 2024, at the age of 99. She grew up in Mattapan, MA with her parents Max Klein and Esther Rosenthal and her two sisters. She was predeceased by her husband of 32 years, Robert Share, former provost of Berklee College of Music, and her sister Barbara. She is survived by her son, David Share, her daughter, Susan Gongora, son-in-law Samuel and sister Bernice. She was a beautiful person who spread joy and happiness wherever she went and was much loved by family and friends. She will be greatly missed. A graveside funeral service will be held in her honor at Sharon Memorial Park in Sharon, MA on Tuesday May 7, 2024 at 11:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, we invite you to donate to Berklee College of Music as follows: https://college.berklee.edu/giving/make-gift Designation: Other Specify: Robert Share Scholarship

Alan Silverstein on Tuesday May 1, 2024 passed away peacefully at the age of 95.  Husband of the late Eleanor Silverstein. Alan is survived by his loving daughter Bonnie, son Gary and his wife Marcia.  Grandchildren Steven and his wife Rachel, Michael and his wife Sharon. Great grandfather of Zachary and Evan, and his sister Lenore.  He is predeceased by his parents Laura and Irving. Graveside services will be held on Friday, May 3, 2024 at 11:45 AM at Sharon Memorial Park.  Donations may be made to the American Heart Association.

It is with great sorrow that we announce the death of Paul Morgan Schaffrath Jr. Paul was born on October 29,1944 and departed this world on April 28, 2024. Paul is predeceased by his loving wife and soul mate Susan Kron. In a beautiful twist of fate he has been reunited with Susan in time for their May 4th wedding anniversary. Paul is survived by his loving and devoted daughters Sara Greene and Megan Peterson. Paul is survived by his grandchildren: Leif Peterson, Grania Greene, Lars Peterson, Hannah Newman, and Symone Newman. Paul is also survived by his brother William Schaffrath and daughter Kristen Newman.

Paul loved art, music and movies. Everyone who had the privilege to know him commented on his humor and how he’d dance and sing along to whatever song was playing. He had a fondness for his childhood home in Millinocket, ME and spoke often in his later years about his time there while his father, Paul Sr. worked in the paper mill. Paul served in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan before returning home to attend Syracuse University for graphic design. He went on to have a long and successful career as a creative and art director for a number of prominent publications including Sailboat, Inc. Magazine, High Technology, Digital Review and PC Week.

Paul and his wife Susan loved to travel. He documented their many trips along with everyday life through his passion and gift for photography. He had the ability to frame even mundane subjects in an interesting way. He used his quirky sense of humor to spotlight objects like toasters or objects out in the world that struck his eye.

A private service and burial will be held by his immediate family. A celebration of life for extended family and friends will occur at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Good Shepherd Community Care, the compassionate hospice organization that helped to bring Paul comfort in his final months. You can find them at https://gscommunitycare.org/Donate

Graveside service at Framingham – Natick Hebrew Cemetery on Friday, May 3, 2024 at 12:00 Noon.

Служба у могилы на еврейском кладбище Фрамингем-Натик в пятницу, 3 мая 2024 г., в 12:00.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Igor’s memory may be made to the Zdorovie Adult Day Health Center, 17 Strathmore Rd., Natick, MA 01760

Doris Swig formally of Newton, MA passed away peacefully with her family by her side on April 30, 2024.

The daughter of Esther & Louis Mintaz of “Blessed Memory”. Doris was the loving wife of the late Sumner Swig, to whom she had been married for 34 years. Sumner passed away in 1980 at the tender age of sixty.

Doris was the adored mother of David Swig, Delray Beach, Ellyn Goldstein, Boca Raton, Nancy Mashman, Boca Raton, and, Susan Swig, Sharon, MA. Cherished grandmother of Matthew, Emily, Allison & Samantha.

Beloved grandmother of Tyler, Brooke, and Jacoby. The beloved sister of the late Rose Krien, Irwin Mintz, Gurda Bass, Bertha Solow, and Stella Silver all of “Blessed Memory”. Funeral Services were held  at Sharon Memorial Park located in Sharon, MA.,on Thursday, May 2,2024. Contributions can be made in Doris’s name to:

Alzheimer Foundation of America

Barbara Lee (Bassin) Greene, formerly of Boston, died on April 28, 2024, in Atlanta, GA. A family service was held at Sharon Memorial Park on Friday, May 3, 2024.

Selma Kriss: A Legacy of Artistic Brilliance and Warmth

Selma Kriss, a remarkable individual known for her artistic brilliance and warm familial love, passed away at the age of 97 on April 24, 2024. Her life was a rich tapestry woven with threads of creativity, education, and family bonds, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations.

Personal Reflections: Selma’s unwavering support and playful spirit endeared her to those around her. Her passion for art was contagious; a visit to MoMA in 1962 ignited a lifelong admiration for pop art icons like Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, and Andy Warhol. And who could forget her culinary adventures, including the memorable chicken paprikash that transformed into a fiery feast with cayenne pepper instead of paprika, still evoking smiles from those of us who recall it.

Family Ties: Married to Harold Kriss for 64 years prior to his death in 2013, Selma was a loving wife and mother. Her love and guidance are her enduring gifts to her children Mitch (Toby) Kriss and Peggy (Cliff Pollan)  Kriss,  her grandchildren Becky (Eric) Burger, Erica Ben-Moshe, Lisa (Sam) Kessler & Jenn (Zaid Hassan) Pollan, and her great-grandchildren, Shane and Hallie Burger, Matan Ben-Moshe, Noah and Sophie Kessler.

Each relationship was a unique bond, cherished and nurtured with care.

Proudest Achievements: Selma’s artistic talent was matched only by her dedication to sharing it with others. Not only was she a master of her craft, having earned a Master’s degree in Art, but she was also a beloved art teacher in Syosset, NY schools. Her legacy lives on in the minds of her students and the beauty of her oil, acrylic, and silkscreen works with many of her pieces adorning her family’s homes

In Memoriam: A graveside service in honor of Selma Kriss will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at Beit Olam East Cemetery (42 Concord Road/Route 126, Wayland, MA). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago or Mary Ann Morse in Natick, MA, reflecting Selma’s compassionate spirit.

A Family’s Message: Selma’s journey was long and filled with moments of joy, challenge, and triumph. Her family fondly remembers her as a woman whose heart and art were as expansive as her legacy. “She lived a long life, and she will forever be in our hearts,” they say.

It is with a broken heart that we say goodbye to Herbert “Herbie” Wiener of Needham, MA. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Florence, his daughters Michele Sharaf and Beth Wiener, and his grandsons Benjamin and Daniel Sharaf. Herbie lost a short battle with pneumonia a few weeks after his 98th birthday. A WWII veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Herbie was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend.

A 1951 graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Herbie had lifelong thirst for knowledge. Despite an effortless everyman appeal, he was an intellectual at heart. He loved opera and classical music, read the newspaper cover-to-cover every day, consumed documentaries and public broadcasting religiously, followed politics and world events closely and was determined to master his iPhone.

While his family defined Herbie more than his work, early in his life he was a union man with The International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. Subsequently, he worked alongside his father-in-law in his auto salvage business. At the end of his father-in-law’s life, Herbie cared for him like a natural born son – just another quiet testament of his love and devotion for his wife, Florence. Herbie continued working the auto salvage business for another 25 years well into his 90s until the day it was sold just a few years ago.

He was a voracious reader with an encyclopedic memory and whip smart sense of humor. An easy-going social butterfly, Herbie didn’t have a judgmental bone in his body – rarely did a mean word come out of his mouth. He believed in charitable giving, never took the last piece without asking and had a strong sense of right and wrong.

Doctors often marveled at his resilience and had the pneumonia not taken him, he would have easily celebrated his 100th birthday. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. Herbie left an indelible mark on this world and he will be remembered fondly by those who knew him.

Graveside service at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon, MA on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at 11:45 am. In lieu of flowers, donations in Herbert’s memory may be made to the Anti Defamation League, www.adl.org. or the Needham Senior Center, 300 Hillside Ave., Needham, MA 02494

David “Dave” Emanuel Lurie, 66, of Newton, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Born in Syracuse, New York, on October 20, 1957, he was the son of Abraham and Natalie Lurie.

Raised outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dave attended Radnor High School (Class of ‘75), where he took great pride in captaining the basketball team and formed lifelong friendships. He then attended Dartmouth College (Class of ‘79), majoring in Policy Studies. After graduating magna cum laude, Dave continued his education at Harvard Law School (Class of ‘83), where he met his first wife and mother of his children, Susan Winkler, and was a member of the Legal Aid Bureau.

Upon graduating cum laude and being admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, Dave became an attorney at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovksy, and Popeo, P.C., where he cherished the opportunity to learn from some of the profession’s greats. In 1997, Dave ventured out to found his own firm in partnership with his good friend, Peter B. Krupp. There, he practiced as a civil trial lawyer for another 27 years, leading the firm’s evolution to what would become Lurie Friedman LLP.

In both his professional life and personal life, Dave will be remembered for his integrity, compassion, generosity, humor, and kindness—he was a true mensch. Many will also remember fondly his spectacular dance moves and joyous laughter. He lived life fully and with passion, particularly enjoying hiking, running alongside fellow members of his running team (the Crying Shames), all things basketball, mid-coast Maine, adventuring with his grandson, and, above all, spending time with his friends and loved ones, especially traveling and being alongside his dear fiancée, Sue Miller.

He is survived by Susan Miller; his children, Rachel Melikan (Alex), Daniel Lurie (Alex), and Mitchell Lurie (Erica); grandson, Landon Melikan; brother, Jonathan Lurie (Debbi); and Sue’s children, Ben Miller and Lauren Miller. Along with his parents, David was predeceased by his younger brother, Richard Lurie, and his former wife, Susan Winkler.

Donations in Dave’s memory may be made to Charles River Watershed Association. He was loved dearly and will be missed beyond measure.

Paula Brody (July 19, 1936 – April 24, 2024) was born in the Bronx to Al and Bea Abrams. In school, the teachers let her sit apart with a book because she learned so fast. She retained a lifelong commitment to proper grammar.

As an undergraduate at Columbia University she won the National Award for Women in Television. She met Alan Brody in playwriting class and decided that day he was the man she would marry. For their 20^th anniversary she wrote the lyrics to “After All These Years,” which was recorded by Anne Phillips (and can be found on Spotify).

After graduating from Columbia, she embarked on a broadcasting career, but took a hiatus from the field to raise her children. She completed a Masters Degree in English Literature, and published her poetry in numerous literary journals. In the mid seventies she returned to broadcasting as a producer at WMHT public television in upstate New York. At the age of forty, she was the oldest person ever accepted into the Directors Guild of America trainee program, becoming an assistant director and working on major films, including The Cotton Club, Moonlighting, Moscow on the Hudson, and A Gathering of Old Men.

After she retired, Paula took joy in sewing, quilting, reading Dorothy Dunnett and Jane Austen, and baking rugelach and danish for the staff and residents of the Brickbottom Artists Building, where she lived with Alan until her death. She was deeply troubled by the state of the world and contributed generously to social justice and mutual aid organizations.

She was a passionate mother, a joy-filled grandmother, and a loving and supportive wife to a self-described difficult playwright.

She leaves behind her husband, Alan, her children, Lise and Dylan, and her granddaughter, Jocelyn Beatrice.

Ron Chen, a Taiwanese entrepreneur, educator, and advocate for social justice passed away on March 22, 2024 at the age of 87. Born in Puzi, Chiayi County, Taiwan on January 10, 1937, Ron leaves behind a legacy of activism, academia, and entrepreneurship. He will be remembered for his strong sense of purpose, passion for giving back to others, longstanding commitment to teaching, and love for his family and the United States of America.

Ron embarked on a global journey that led him to become a cherished professor of political science at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Along with his wife of 55 years, Fu-mei Chen, Ron also founded the Brass House, which was a retailer and wholesaler of brassware and giftware; together they created and produced many Southern inspired gifts which were sold in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Ron had noteworthy global influence as a dedicated political activist for Taiwanese independence and as a leader of the movement in the United States, serving as the Overseas Liaison Officer of the World United Formosans for Independence which opposed the Chaing Kai-shek regime and endorsed Taiwanization. In addition to his role as Associate Editor of the newspaper The Independent Formosan, he translated George Kerr’s book, Formosa Betrayed, (1973). This Chinese translation became a banned book, is currently a bestseller, and is one of the most influential nonfiction books in Taiwan. As a follow up to this book, he also authored “What I know about the April 24th Incident” (2015), and “The Inside Story of the April 24th Assassination Attempt Made Public Again” (2018), which discusses the attempted assassination of Chiang Ching-kuo, Chiang Kai-shek’s son and heir, in New York City. Ron was a leader of various student groups and spoke on radio and television shows. He was a confidant of Taiwan’s former President Lee Teng-Hui, who oversaw the end of martial law in Taiwan and advocated for the Taiwanese localization movement.

Ron is survived by his wife, Fu-mei Chen, and his children, Sonya van der Meer, Peter van der Meer, Tonya Chen Mezrich, Ben Mezrich, Oliver Chen, John Bult, Patricia Chen and his four grandchildren, Penelope, Tristan, Asher and Arya.

As a leader of revolutions, captivator of students with his stories, or spreader of joy with unique creations, Ron Chen proved that passion, humor, leadership, and a touch of eccentricity can drive lives forward. His contributions will forever be treasured across his diverse network of friends across multiple communities.

Ron Chen will be laid to rest in Newton, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the World United Formosans for Independence (WUFI-USA, PO Box 1239, Belmont, CA 94002-6239. In memory of Ron Chen.)

Use the QR code to find this obituary online and for pictures of Ron throughout the years.

To view the livestream please click here.

Constance W. Lampert

Beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Friend

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend, Constance Waterman Lampert of Wayland passed away unexpectedly at home on April 11, 2024.

Connie was born in Wilmington DE, the daughter of Brigadier General Bernard S. Waterman and Harriet Waterman.  Growing up an “army brat,” Connie moved with her family numerous times until high school, although her “home base” was always in Haverhill, MA where her grandparents and other family members lived. She graduated from Walnut Hill School in Natick and then attended Mary Washington College in Virginia.  She met her husband, Alan, at Seabrook Beach in Summer 1960, and they married in August 1962.  Connie completed her bachelor’s degree at Boston University; following graduation, Alan & she moved to Chelmsford where they raised their family for 33 years.

Connie is survived by her adoring husband of over 61 years, Alan, her 3 children Jonathan, Amy and Andrew, daughters-in law Alison and Suzanne, grandchildren Sarah and husband Liam, William, Matthew, Lilli, Carrie, Zoe and Eliza, and friends and relatives too numerous to count.

Vivacious, outgoing, elegant, sincere, straightforward, and always dressed for the occasion, Connie collected friends and served as the nexus for her family.  Missing special occasions, graduations, recitals, or just about any event was simply out of the question, and Connie was always the first to show up, call, write or text when there was a crisis.

An inveterate traveler and consummate planner, Connie & Alan traveled the world with their family and as a couple.  It is impossible to list the number of cities, states, countries, and continents they visited, often more than once.  Family vacations were a highlight and included special high school graduation trips to Europe for her grandchildren.

When her youngest child, Andrew, started school, Connie joined Lady Finelle Cosmetics, where she worked as a convention planner & travel coordinator for 10 years.  She then put her love of history and reading to work, becoming a licensed tour guide and starting a business, Passport to Boston, with a friend.  She co-managed the business and conducted tours for 12 years before retiring.

Connie was a 60+ year bridge player, which included bridge tournaments in her later years.  She played canasta, did needlepoint, was an avid reader and walked…very fast…almost every day.  She followed the Red Sox through thick and thin and delighted in attending games with family & friends.

A funeral service will be held at Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Road, Wellesley, MA on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at 11:00 AM.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Connie’s memory may be made to Mass General Brigham Breast Cancer Center (https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate/cancer-center/), Jewish Family and Children Services ( https://www.jfcsboston.org/give/donate-online) or the charity of your choice.

Jack Test, 74, of Newton, MA passed away on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Jack was born to Dorothy and Meyer Test of Kansas City in 1949. After graduating Southwest High School in 1967, he received a B.S. and M.S. in computer science from Stanford University. He worked as a system programmer for a number of computer related companies in the Boston area finishing off as a computer consultant before his retirement. He enjoyed music and loved attending performances of the Boston symphony orchestra. Jack was a devoted son and provided care and support for his mother the last 15 years of her life. He is survived by his brother Sanford Test of Be’er Sheva Israel. His family suggests donations in his memory to Beth Shalom Synagogue of Kansas City. Graveside services will be held at 8:00 am on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at Mt. Carmel Cemetery, 5529 Ditzler Ave, Raytown, MO 64133.

Cathy A. Levin of Melrose, MA, passed away peacefully on Feb. 24, 2024, at the age of 63. She grew up in Arlington, MA, and attended Arlington High School.  She went on to graduate from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Radio, Television, and Film. Cathy was a strong advocate for people with mental health issues. She worked for the Tri-City Mental Health Center in Medford, MA, writing press releases for local newspapers. She also joined M-POWER, a mental health self-help group in Boston, now called the Transformation Center, and was the editor of its newsletter “Voices for Change.”  Cathy was tireless in the fight for better treatment of mental health patients in emergency rooms. She was instrumental in driving the ER Rights Campaign, helped organize rallies and hearings at the Massachusetts State House, and testified in person at the Statehouse on their behalf. Cathy had a lifelong interest in American history and politics. In addition to earning an undergraduate degree, Cathy enrolled at UMASS, Boston, and obtained a Graduate Certificate in Women in Politics and Public Policy. She then worked as an intern for State Representative Barbara L’Italien. Her love of history inspired her to become a very popular tour guide on the Freedom Trail in Boston. Dressed in colonial women’s attire, she escorted tourists and history buffs from the Boston Commons to Government Center, stopping along the way at historic buildings and gravesites of the Founding Fathers to explain the historical significance of each stop. Cathy was also a dog lover. She once rescued a Brittany Spaniel from the streets of Somerville, MA, and welcomed him into her home. She was also a very good artist and enjoyed painting beautiful color portraits. Her passions for history, politics, advocacy, reading, and art will be sorely missed. Cathy was pre-deceased by her parents, JoAnne McIntosh and Melvin Levin, and is survived by her two brothers Jim and Tom Levin, her niece Ashley, and her nephews Cole and Denys.

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

Edward I. Selig, loving husband, father, and grandfather, died on April 8 at age 89, surrounded by his family. A man of great integrity, Ed was noted for his generosity, intellect, and humor.

Ed grew up in Leominster, Mass., the son of Mendell and Mae and the younger brother of Annie. He excelled in academics and athletics at the Fessenden School, Phillips Academy Andover, Yale University, where he studied English literature, and Merton College Oxford, where he studied philosophy as a Rhodes Scholar. He later served those schools with great loyalty.  He studied at the Jewish Theological Seminary and earned a law degree at Harvard Law School.

In Washington, D.C., Ed worked at Covington and Burling and then joined the U.S. Justice Department in the Office of Legal Counsel. He then moved back to the Boston area to help run the Council on Law Related Studies at Harvard Law School. That work led to his interest in the emerging field of environmental law, in which he became an early expert. In his practice, he focused on water and air pollution control. One of his proudest achievements was drafting the original Massachusetts Clean Water Act, which went further than federal laws of the time by defining “waters of the state” to include groundwater, thus requiring stricter regulation. Ed also taught environmental law courses at BU and the Harvard School of Public Health.

Ed served on a number of boards, including the Merton College Charitable Corporation and the All Newton Music School. On his retirement from law practice, he became a mediator, volunteered with the Executive Service Corps, and returned to English literature, his first love, leading classes on poetry, short stories, and philosophy for adult learners.

Ed pursued other passions after retirement as well. He took up piano lessons, learned to prepare gourmet meals, and participated in book clubs. Whatever he undertook, he set high standards for himself. Ed also reveled in becoming a grandfather.

Central to Ed’s life were his friendships, many dating to his youth. He and Renata, his beloved wife of nearly 64 years, maintained deep and lifelong connections with classmates and friends, traveling with them over many decades. They hosted numerous guests at their home with hospitality and warmth.

Ed loved poetry, from lyric odes to off-color limericks. He was especially moved by Shakespeare, Yeats, Thomas, Eliot, and Frost, with dozens of poems committed to memory.  He was an elegant writer who took great delight in the English language, relishing puns, jokes, word play, and rules of grammar. With great wit, he crafted clever verses to celebrate friends and relatives. He loved classical music, especially works by Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Bach, and Mozart. He cherished laughter and lively conversation over good food and fine wine.

Ed is survived by his wife, Renata; his children, Colin and Diana, and his grandchildren, Anya and Jonah.

Funeral Service will be held on Friday, April 12 at 10:45am at Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Road, Wellesley, followed by burial at the Newton Cemetery. The family will hold shiva at his late residence on Friday, 1:30-4:00pm and on Sunday, 11-1pm.

As Ed requested, contributions in his memory may be made to the All Newton Music School, 321 Chestnut St., West Newton MA 02465.

Dr. Lonnie C. Carton, age 95, educator, broadcaster, mother and grandmother extraordinaire passed away peacefully on Sunday April 7, 2024 surrounded by her children at Maravilla Assisted Living in Austin, Texas. The beloved matriarch of a large family, she was also widely recognized as a gifted communicator whose common sense approach to parenting and child development informed and inspired the thousands of dedicated listeners to her nationally syndicated radio program Dr. Lonnie Carton in The Learning Center.

Winner of The National Media Award of The American Psychological Association for “the best radio program in the country exploring the what, where and how of human behavior”, The Learning Center offered problem-solving strategies for parents, families and educators. Dr. Carton’s broadcasts, taped in Boston at WEEI news radio in the early 1970’s and later at WBZ, aired nationwide six days a week for more than two decades.

Lonnie grew up in Baltimore, Maryland in a multigenerational home, the only child of a single mother living with family members who had little opportunity for formal education. At a young age, she became a keen observer of the intricacies of human relations and how familiy members relate to each other. A bookworm, tennis player, and talented student, Lonnie was one of a dozen young women in 1946 selected to attend then all-male Johns Hopkins University in a World War Two-era pilot program. University administrators discontinued the “experiment” in less than a year and pressured all the women students to transfer, but Lonnie insisted she belonged, graduated in three years, and went on to get her M.Ed from the University of Maryland in child psychology and her PH.D from Penn State University.

Hopkins didn’t admit another woman for 24 years, but there, in the mid-1940s, Lonnie met the love of her life, Edwin B. Carton. They married in 1949, raised three children well, and helped raise seven beloved grandchildren before Ed’s death in 2012. Like the Biblical Abraham and Sarah’s open tent, their home on Sheffield Road in Newton was open to all who cared to enter—whether it was for some of Lonnie’s quick wit and sage advice, a political discussion with Ed, a game of Boggle, or just laughter and storytelling around the kitchen table with family and friends.

A professor of education at Tufts University for fourteen years and the author of Raise Your Kids Right (Putnam), later released in paperback as No Is A Love Word, Dr. Carton also put her passion for people and her community-building skills to work at Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston, where she developed several innovative support services for inner city kids and their parents. When she wasn’t teaching or on the lecture circuit, she could often be found at the movies with her husband, sharing a Cabot’s ice cream Brazilian Combo, or at Gillette Stadium cheering on her beloved New England Patriots.

On learning of Lonnie’s passing, one of her cousins wrote that “she has been the rock of our family in so many ways—a mountain of integrity, common sense, intelligence, and love.”

Lonnie leaves behind her children, Evan Carton and Janis Bergman-Carton. Debbie and Yossie Riemer, and Paula Carton; her grandchildren, Jacqueline and Jonathan Tame, Nili Riemer Bueckert and Benni Bueckert, Yair and Jennie Riemer, Rebecca Carton and Daniel Dowd, Yoni and Lexi Riemer, Noah Carton, and Hannah Rossen; and eight great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, April 11 at Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Road, in Wellesley.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to The Children’s Defense Fund

To view the service livestream please click here.

Eleanor Fisher Kaplan, of Jamaica Plain (Springhouse Senior Living) and formerly of  Brookline, MA, passed away at age 103 on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Beloved wife of the late Judge Sumner Z. Kaplan, revered matriarch of an extensive loving family, and devoted friend to countless individuals across all ages, Ellie was one of a kind. She was smart, savvy, witty and an astute judge of character.

Born in Lynn, MA in 1921 and raised in Dorchester by her cherished mother Rose (Rines), Eleanor graduated from Boston’s Girls’ Latin School in 1938 and Wellesley College in 1942.

Her marriage in 1944 to her loving husband Sumner was transformative. She fully shared in his interest in local and state politics and was his most trusted adviser in his successful campaigns for the Massachusetts State Legislature and the Brookline Select Board.

While raising her two daughters, Ellie earned a Master’s degree from State Teachers College at Boston, followed by 20 years as an elementary school teacher in the Boston Public Schools.

Eleanor was a prolific writer, loved music and composed countless essays, poems and songs about her experiences, her family and her ever-insightful observations of life.  She never lost her curiosity about people and the world, or her interest in civic engagement and politics. She remained an accomplished bridge player well into her 103rd year.

Eleanor leaves behind her two beloved daughters, Ruth Kaplan (Brookline) and Marjorie Kaplan (New York City), sons-in-law Toby Kusmer and Michael Stanislawski, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held at Congregation Kehillath Israel, 384 Harvard Street, Brookline, on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at 11:30 a.m., followed by burial at Sharon Memorial Park. Shiva will be at the home of Ruth and Toby on Tuesday 7-9 pm, Wednesday and Thursday 2-4 & 7-9 pm, Saturday 7-9 pm, and Sunday 2-4 & 7-9 pm. On Friday, April 12, Shiva will be at Springhouse, 44 Allandale St., 3:30-5:00 pm.

Contributions in Eleanor’s memory can be made to Congregation Kehillath Israel, 384 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446, Brookline Senior Center, 93 Winchester Street, Brookline, MA 02446, Hadassah Boston, 1320 Centre Street, #205, Newton Centre, MA 02459, or a charity of one’s choice.

Alan Alter, of Brockton, was born on July 24th, 1939 in Fairhaven, MA. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover, and then Harvard, before settling into a lifetime of work with computers and investing on his own. The last forty-five years of his life he spent in Boston and Brookline, right near the line between the two. Alan was very smart and an intellectual at heart who will be fondly remembered by his family as a deeply good person. His passions were running (in a New York marathon at under three hours and winning a race at the Maccabean Games in Tel Aviv), politics, classical music, conversation, book-collecting, and reading. He was extraordinarily well-read on many topics and had a particularly keen interest in neuroscience, literature, and history. Alan took great, loving care of both his mother Alberta Alter and father Manny Alter for years in their later lives.
While not observant, Alan was Jewish to the core (he knew Hebrew) and a believer in the promise of Israel. He is survived by his brother Mark Alter and niece Sonrisa Alter of Portland, Oregon, his aunt Josephine Freedman of Cambridge, and cousins Amy Freedman of Cambridge and Robert Alter of Newton. He will also be lovingly remembered by his great circle of caring friends in the neighborhood where he lived, in particular his neighbor Patrick Maguire. Alan died in Milton, MA on April 5th, 2024, at the age of 84. Alan will be interred at Sharon Memorial Park next to his parents as he wished. There will not be a service.

Joshua Shefer (November 1, 1924 – April 3, 2024)

Joshua Shefer died peacefully at his home on April 3, 2024, at age 99. He enjoyed most of the things he loved – visiting with family, sharing meals, walking outside – until the last few months when his body just started to come to the end of a life well lived.

Born in 1924 in Leipzig, Germany, to Chaim and Esther Spector, Joshua immigrated with his family to Tel Aviv in 1932. He attended the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1949.  He also served as an army officer in the Israeli war of independence (1948-49). During the war, Joshua met Sarah Porath. Joshua and Sarah were married in the autumn of 1950. In the early 1950s, Joshua and Sarah went to London for graduate school, where they each completed PhD degrees from London University in 1955, he in Electrical Engineering and she in Biochemistry. They returned to Israel and in 1956 Joshua joined the Electronics Research Laboratories of the Israeli Ministry of Defense where he headed the Microwave R&D Division. During this time, he lectured at the Technion on microwave theory and techniques. In 1958 Joshua accepted an assignment in the Diplomatic Service as the Scientific Attaché at the Israeli Embassy in London. After this assignment, the family moved to Boston, where Joshua joined the Gordon McKay Laboratory, Harvard University as a Research Fellow, working on antenna problems.

In 1962, the family moved to New Jersey where Joshua took a research position at Bell Telephone Laboratories. A few years later he joined RCA Laboratories in Princeton, NJ, and worked there until his retirement in 1991. One focus of his research was on new microwave solid state devices for communication systems as well as for highway safety applications. He and his colleagues developed one of the first collision avoidance systems for automobiles.

Joshua was predeceased by his wife Sarah after nearly 70 wonderful years of marriage, and by his sister Pnina and brother Ze’ev. His immediate family includes his loving children, Ruth (Earl), David and Abigail (Donald); his devoted grandchildren, Alex (Carolina), Michael (Roxanne), Jordan, and Megan; and his great grandchildren Joaquim and Sarah.

Joshua greatly enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and travelling the world. He loved to be on the water and had a lifelong interest in sailing, first on lakes in New Jersey, then later off the coast of New York and in the Caribbean. He was a voracious reader of history and always kept current on politics and the news. Joshua had a great smile and people warmed to his kindness and intellect wherever he went.

On Sunday April 7^th, there will be a graveside service at Sharon Memorial Park at 12:45 pm.

Contributions in Joshua’s memory may be made to Mass General Hospital  https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate

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

Lucille Gerratt of Chestnut Hill, MA passed away on April 1, 2024. Beloved wife of the late Irving Gerratt. Devoted mother of Emily (David) and Bradley (Susan). Proud grandmother of Aaron (Jenny) and Natalie (Jo). Loving sister of Phyllis Laub and the late Arthur Levine, Cynthia Magid, and Lester Levine.

Graveside services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lucille’s memory may be made to Casa Myrna, casamyrna.org.

Lucille grew up in Boston and attended the Boston Public Schools. She and Irving met where she worked and later married in April 1948. They lived in Boston until moving to Sharon in 1950 where Lucille ran a small office for the growing family printing business for many years.

She started making small investments in the stock market in the 1970s, first with the advice of a stockbroker and, later, on her own. She learned about the stock market quickly and became an expert. Her passion was such that Brad and Emily understood she was declining when she stopped paying attention to the market (at age 96!).

In 1988, Irving and Lucille retired to their summer home on Cape Cod. Lucille served as Treasurer of the resident-led condominium management association for several decades, while Irving served as president. They were known as the “go-to team” whenever an issue arose in the community.

After Irving died in 2022, Lucille moved to an assisted living facility in Chestnut Hill where she loved engaging with the staff and residents.

Family and friends meant everything to Lucille. Her greatest pleasure was serving special meals to friends and family visiting her and Irving, especially after they retired on Cape Cod. Her curiosity was evident in the kitchen, always working to tweak the recipes to perfection. Eating and talking around the dining room table was the way she liked to bring people together.

Adam Wayne Kenger, loving husband, father, son, stepson, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin, nephew, and friend to all, passed away on April 1st, 2024, after inspiring everyone with his strength and courage as he faced advanced colon cancer. Adam was born on June 13, 1980 in El Paso, Texas to Ronda Kenger and Martin Kenger. At just six weeks old, Adam, his older sister Elysa, and his parents moved to Massachusetts where he would live happily for the rest of his life. As a child, he loved building model rockets and playing trains with his father, whose footsteps he followed in to become an engineer. His summers at the Cape with his family as a child, going boating and fishing and just enjoying the salt air, were some of his happiest childhood memories. He played soccer and clarinet as a boy, and in his words, “did it for fun, not because I was particularly good.” But music always held a special interest for him, and he often enjoyed recounting nights spent at the Cape Cod Melody Tent seeing amazing musical acts. His musical knowledge and interests were diverse, covering everything from Fleetwood Mac to Natalie Merchant to James Taylor. One of the times he most impressed Mara was when he perfectly sang along with the 26 “I knows” in Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers. He might have been quiet at times, but he was certainly always listening.

His early interest in computers distinguished him in the halls of the Littleton schools he attended in the 1990s. Adam was so knowledgeable that many teachers would often ask  for his assistance working their computers! Adam continued his study of computer engineering at Northeastern University in Boston, the one and only college he applied to, because he knew he wanted to work while studying which Northeastern made particularly seamless with their undergraduate program. In college he met many life-long friends including his best man, Dan Dufresne, who Adam often credited with getting him through some of the more challenging academic courses. Adam had a unique genius, but stats weren’t his thing. But he worked hard, did amazingly well, and graduated with his B.S. in Computer Engineering from Northeastern in 2003.

He immediately went to work as a software engineer and web developer at various technology firms in Boston, with his longest tenure being at Cantina Consulting where he worked from 2009 until just prior to his death in 2024. At Cantina, he made lifelong friendships, helped countless clients meet their website needs, and was a leader in every sense of the word. He was so good with client relationships that the company created a special role for him in that realm, and he was named VP of Technical Strategy. Just 4 days before his death, Adam was still concerned about finishing up work projects. His dedication to his work cannot be overstated.

It is only fitting that a man who devoted his life to computers would meet his eventual wife, Mara, on the internet. In June 2011, they connected via a dating website, and as Mara has always said, she instantly knew upon reading his profile and seeing his adorable smile that he could be the father of her children. After a few weeks of emails back-and-forth, they met in person at a restaurant in Beacon Hill, and talked continuously for 4 hours before awkwardly misfiring a kiss onto each other’s eyeballs and saying goodnight. They met frequently after that, and by their 3rd date, Mara had already told her mother and aunt, “I am going to marry this guy.”

Marry they did, just 14 months later, in September of 2012. They moved in 2013 to their first home bought together in Stoneham, MA, where they enjoyed the DINK life for a little while by enjoying frequent dinner and movie dates, weekends at the Cape, and many live concerts. They welcomed their first daughter, Madeleine, in 2015, and what he may have lost in DINK freedom, he gained tenfold in the joys of fatherhood. Margot arrived in 2018, and little Eloise arrived in the midst of COVID just after moving to the family’s current home in Wellesley in 2020. Adam had initially said that he wasn’t sure he wanted children, because he wanted to be certain that if he brought kids into this world, that he was ready to be the absolute best father he could be to them. But it should come as no surprise to anyone who knew Adam that fatherhood came naturally to him. He was patient, kind, firm but gentle, disciplined, and loving to his three daughters. Even when he was feeling absolutely awful with cancer treatments, he made time and space for them to feel his love and devotion, as he patiently listened to their stories, excitedly looked at their artwork, or lovingly read them “just one more” bedtime story. He was, in every sense of the word, an incredible father.

His excelling at fatherhood could have easily been predicted by his longstanding devotion to, and love of, rescue dogs. As soon as he was out on his own, Adam began fostering dogs, and soon adopted his first rescue dog, Trinity. He soon also adopted Lara, a particularly special dog whose photograph, taken by Adam, hangs in the living room. Logan, Lucy, Owen and Charlie were all lucky enough to make their home in Adam’s house, and more importantly, in his heart. Adam truly had immense love for all animals, even those he was severely allergic to like Mara’s cats who came with her as a package deal. He couldn’t walk by a cute dog without stopping to pet them and make goofy animal noises. His biggest smiles in life were reserved for his canines and his kids.

Adam was an amazing cook, with Italian food being his main specialty. He made excellent homemade pizzas, and gifted himself a pizza oven for home that, sadly, he didn’t get to use before his passing. Mara and the girls look forward to learning how to use it to make excellent pizza in his memory. He also loved making his own pasta, and made an annual spanakopita for his mother on her birthday, as that was her favorite dish he ever made.

Adam was someone who would stop at nothing to make those around him happy. He made a friend in everyone he met, and genuinely didn’t have any enemies or even a bad word to say about anyone. He was endlessly kind, calm, forgiving, patient, intelligent, talented, devoted, and sweet. He will forever be missed by all those lucky enough to have known him.

He is survived by his wife, Mara (Semel) Kenger and his three daughters, Madeleine Antonia, Margot Isabelle, and Eloise June; his mother, Ronda Kenger; his father and stepmother, Marty Kenger and Marji Holden-Kenger; his sister, Elysa (Kenger) Fiedler; beloved aunt, Sandy Simon and her partner Brian Bloch; beloved aunt and uncle, Darlene and Stu Saks; beloved uncle Jeff Saks; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; and scores of friends. He is predeceased by his grandparents, Jerry and Stella Saks, and Elizabeth and Leonard Kenger, and his uncle, Larry Simon.

Adam’s guiding principles in life were kindness, love, and generosity. It is with those values in mind that we will honor his legacy by practicing those principles and leading with kindness, just like Adam.

The funeral will be taking place on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 10:00 am at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham. Interment will follow at Or Emet Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury. Memorial Observance will be at Temple Beth Shalom on Thursday from 2:00-5:00 pm and will resume at the Kenger home on Friday from 1:00-3:00 pm and on Sunday from 1:00-6:00 pm.

Dr. Diane Flora Gutterman, of Pikesville, Maryland, passed away on March 30, 2024.  Diane was the wife of the late Dr. Victor P. Vitullo, mother of Josh Vitullo, doting grandmother of Zachary and Alexander Vitullo, loving sister of Alvin and Linda Gutterman, proud aunt of Rebecca and Sam Gutterman, and lifelong friend of June Taylor. Daughter of Louis and Jean Gutterman, Diane graduated with honors in Chemistry from Cornell University in 1963, received her Ph.D. from Columbia in 1969, and and did post graduate work in chemistry at Princeton and Sao Paolo, Brazil.  She later received her M.D. from the University of Miami (FL) and had a 45 year career as a psychiatrist serving patients in Baltimore. Ever curious, Diane spent a lifetime learning, teaching, and caring for others.  She leaves behind a son and two grandkids who will forever be thinking of her smile, as well as friends and patients who will miss her peerless ability to hone in on the heart of an issue.

Graveside services at New Montefiore Cemetery on April 3 at 11 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Diane’s memory may be made to Healthcare for the Homeless (Maryland) at https://www.hchmd.org/

Sterling, Eliot Morton, of Needham, MA, passed away March 31, 2024. Beloved husband of Joyce (Schwartzman) Sterling. Devoted father of Nicholas Sterling and Lawrence Sterling. Proud grandfather of Kevin, and Kyle Sterling. Graveside Services at Beit Olam Cemetery were held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations in Eliot’s memory may be made to Temple Beth Shalom, c/o Rabbi Perlman’s Discretionary Fund, 670 Highland Ave., Needham, MA 02492.

Smith, Rosalyn of Medford, MA passed away March 30, 2024. Beloved wife of the late Murray H Smith for 65 years. Devoted mother of Dr. Steven Smith of Chestnut Hill, MA, Todd Smith and his wife Jill of North Waterboro, ME, and Gail Miller and her husband Bruce of Colchester, CT. Proud grandmother of Gabriella, Adina, Lily and Ilon Smith & Aaron and Samuel Miller.

Rosalyn was born in Boston on March 26, 1932 to the late Irving and Goldie (Maltzman) Bereznick, along with her late brother Marshall. She graduated from Dorchester High School, Prozdor, and Hebrew College. Rosalyn was a Hebrew School teacher in Greater Boston for nearly 50 years. She was a longtime member of Temple Shalom in Medford and a Life Member of Hadassah. She loved travel, dining out and reading. Her greatest joy was her family, to which she was completely devoted.

Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Rosalyn’s memory may be made to Temple Shalom of Medford, the Alzheimer’s Association or Susan G Komen organization.

HELLER, Vicki Lynn A lover of art, ceramics, romance languages, punny jokes, very hot showers, chamber music, interesting flavors and colors, the time of day when the light changes, French press coffee, and dark chocolate died March 29, 2024.

Vicki was born in Chicago on January 12, 1954 to Harry and Virginia Heller, two social workers, one of whom later became a physician, both of whom instilled in their daughters a love of art, a responsibility to care for others, and a fierce independence characteristic of women ahead of their time. The youngest of four sisters, Vicki was distinguished by the combination of her brilliant, creative, artistic, open mind and her magical warm spirit and pure kind heart.

After attending art school at the University of Michigan, she worked abroad in Italy where she lived above a meat and cheese shop and taught the butcher’s daughter English in exchange for money for rent.  It was there where she forged ochre sculptures of Italian hill towns from stoneware clay, focal pieces adorning the shelves of her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Growing up, Vicki, often bored in school, would count down the remaining days in the school year until she could return to Interlochen Arts Camp for the summer. A lover of all things artistic, she starred in school plays and musicals, and despite having two left feet, enjoyed singing, dancing, and making music with her three sisters.

Vicki, a forger of her own path, did not necessarily follow, but rather walked alongside her father’s footstep, pursuing a secondary career in medicine after her time in Italy, obtaining medical education at Harvard Medical School.

During her 25 year long medical career as an OBGYN, she brought countless babies into the world and was a fierce advocate for women’s rights and educator about issues related to women’s health. When she was with patients, they knew they had her attention and no clinical worry was too small to raise. She was universally adored by her patients, many of whom would send pictures of their growing babies to her home with cards and chocolates during holiday times.

Vicki had a capacity for laser focus and yet kept an open mind and heart for observation of the broadest and the most abstract aspects of life and its wonders. Out to dinner with friends or at parties, Vicki was never one to dominate the conversation. She would be thoroughly engaged in listening and had a genuine curiosity about people and their stories and lives.

It was in the hospital where she met her husband of 37 years, Lee Cohen, a fellow physician, who asked her out during her first week as chief resident only to be told to reach her back at 2am (when she anticipated she would have a moment to talk on the phone).

What started from a three hour long date talking to one another that Vicki, on brand, arrived 15 minutes late to, flourished into a marriage in which their love grew over the course of 37 years together, built firmly on shared values of family, sustaining connection with close friends, and protecting time for the two of them. In the early days of their relationship, Vicki’s preferred mode of travel to the hospital was by bike; even at 2 in the morning when on call, a sleep deprived post call Vicki could be seen rolling up to the hospital on a bike.

After getting married in 1986, Vicki and Lee moved to the suburbs and Vicki traded her bike in for a car. Soon after, Vicki and Lee were overjoyed (and persistently sleep deprived) when they welcomed their two daughters, Eliza Anne Heller Cohen and Zoë Caroline Heller Cohen into the world. Vicki’s happiest times were spent with her family, in Boston and in Kennebunkport, Maine, a place which doubled as a sanctuary for their family. Vicki continued to feed her curious spirit, exploring and adventuring with her family in Maine. She fearlessly learned to ski the east coast icy hard pack as a thirty something year old who had never before set foot on a mountain. Weekends were spent with family, hiking, biking, sailing, and playing tennis. Vacation weeks were some of the most precious times for her family. Whether on safari in Tanzania or learning to make homemade pasta in Italy, (though, due to her love for improvisation, she could never ever make the exact same recipe twice), Vicki reveled in learning about other cultures and traveling the world with her crew. She would never miss an opportunity to learn how to say a phrase in another language upon meeting someone from any corner of the world, and was virtually fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Italian.

The relationships Vicki had with her family and with her friends were most important to her. At the age of 58, after a cancer diagnosis, she closed her practice of 25 years and returned to the art studio where she delighted in a community of quirky creatives and reconnected wholeheartedly to her identity as a sculptress. With a preference for hand-building over throwing pottery on the wheel, Vicki’s sculptures often depicted the human form and facial expressions. She believed that love and friendships between people were transcendent and magical; and she captured the human experience in her work. While she connected with this community somewhat later in life, over the final decade of her life, she developed some of her most cherished relationships with fellow artists from the Harvard Ceramics Studio, where she was a resident artist.

If Vicki was to become aware of someone in need, she would without hesitation offer her time, whether cooking a meal, or lending a hand. She had a need to feel productive and she was always active. Never one to focus on material things, she could often be found wearing a clay stained “make art” blue t shirt. When on airplanes or in the hospital, in lieu of disposing of used containers or cans, she would save them for repurposing in her art studio as storage containers, or for recycling at home.

Vicki and Lee’s love was ever an inspiration to family, friends, and others who were, or would be in love. Vicki’s heart grew as her family expanded when her daughter Eliza met Gregg Belbeck and they married in 2022. In Vicki’s final year of life, she became a grandmother to grandson Harrison Belbeck.

In September 2021, she received a diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer. A most resilient person and soul, having already fought through late stage ovarian cancer 10 years prior, as well as beaten another two separate cancers, she faced this diagnosis head on and underwent rigorous treatment with the goal of continuing to be well enough to make art and spend time with her family. To say her strength through this chapter was an inspiration to others is an understatement. With her natural sense of optimism and humor, she plodded through challenging days gracefully and with a smile on her face. The Heller Cohen family thanks the numerous doctors, nurses, therapists, aides, caregivers, cleaners, neighbors, friends, family members, who lifted Vicki’s spirits and kept her in their thoughts during this chapter.

She met this final diagnosis with resilience, strength, optimism, humor, and grace.

In addition to her immediate family, Vicki leaves many sisters and brothers-in-law (Marcy Heller Fisher, Robert Fisher (deceased), Wendy Fogel, Yehuda Fogel, Barbara Heller, Joel Weingarten (deceased), Mitchell Cohen, Janet Richer Cohen, Cindy Portnoff, Kevin Portnoff) nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, and cousins whom she loved. She was predeceased by her mother and father, Virginia and Harry Heller.

If Vicki were here today, she would want us all to remember joyous moments together and to be kind to one another. We mourn the loss of this unique, loving, remarkable woman. Vicki’s life and love have been a blessing to her family and to all who were lucky enough to know her.

Vicki’s life will be celebrated on Monday April 1 at 11am at Temple Emanuel in Newton. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers please direct any gifts to the Harvard Ceramics Studio and to the Dr David Ryan Fund / MGH Cancer Center.

Please specify that the gift is in honor of Vicki Heller.

A link to view the recording can be found here.

Natalie Warshawer, 88, of Lexington, MA died peacefully on March 29th, 2024.  She was the beloved wife of 65 years to the late Robert “Bob” Warshawer.  She leaves her children Steven Warshawer of Santa Fe, NM, Marcy Ostrow and her husband Matthew of Worcester, MA, and Ina Lerner and her late husband Rob of Midland, MI.

She was the cherished grandmother of Rachel, Emma, Sam, Naomi, Madeline, Abigail, and Lily, her bonus grandchildren by marriage, and the proud great grandmother of Desmond, Petra, Margot, and Reuben.

Natalie was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1935.  Her youth was spent in the Girl Scouts, going to Brighton Beach, and playing neighborhood games along with her sister Mindy.  She was a proud graduate of Brandeis University and remained active in the Brandeis alumni association throughout her life.  Natalie and Bob were introduced to each other by their parents when they were teenagers, and married in 1955.  They settled in Lexington, MA where they raised their family, added to their circle of lifelong friends, and became avid Red Sox fans.

Natalie’s artistic legacy is enduring.  She was a founder of Depot Square Gallery, and belonged to many organizations including the Cambridge Art Association, The Lexington Arts and Crafts Society, and the National League of American Pen Women.  She worked in acrylics, taught painting classes, was well known for her hand-colored etchings of the Boston area, and her artwork was exhibited and earned accolades in galleries throughout New England and beyond. An extension of her visual art was her love of and expertise in knitting, gardening, and Broadway showtunes.  Her knitting community held a special place in her heart.

The family gives special thanks to Daniel Luzzi, Rosete Semakula, and Florence Batte for their kind and loving caregiving.

A graveside service will be held at Beit Olam East Cemetery, 40 Concord Rd., Wayland, MA on Monday, April 1, 2024 at 4:00pm. A memorial observance will be announced at that time.

Natalie and Bob were founding members of Temple Emunah in Lexington. In lieu of flowers, donations in Natalie’s memory may be made to Temple Emunah.

Ruth Silberstein, long time Temple Emanuel member and Newton resident, passed away on March 28, 2024 in Dedham, Massachusetts after a long illness.

Ruth was born in Europe and her family emigrated to the U.S. in December 1938 when she was six years old.  She was raised in Manhattan and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College.  In 1954 she met Ronald Silberstein and, after a (very) brief courtship, they were married, and had a wonderful and happy union.   Ruth was one of a kind.   She had a magnetic personality, wonderful sense of humor, and was a master storyteller.   She welcomed everyone into her circle and made everyone feel that they were her best friend.   These skills, and her extensive knowledge, contributed to her very successful career as an art dealer.

Ruth is survived by her husband of 69 years, Ron Silberstein, her son Peter Silberstein and his wife Gail, her daughter Margie Silberstein and her husband Lennie Bloom, and her daughter Amy Silberstein and her husband Jim Cohen; by her eight grandchildren Dana Silberstein, Ariel Frankel (Scott),  Jamie Bloom (Leah), Allison Bloom, Kate Bloom, Douglas Cohen, Julia Cohen (Mike), and Caroline Cohen; and by her 3 great-grandchildren Jordan and Sienna Frankel and Julian Bloom.

Funeral services on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward St., Newton, MA.  Shiva will be at the home of Amy Silberstein and Jim Cohen following the burial and will continue at the home of Peter and Gail Silberstein on Sunday, March 31, and Monday April 1, 2-4 & 7- 9 p.m. Donations in her memory may be made to Temple Emanuel of Newton, c/o Ruth and Ron Silberstein Educational Fund.

Please click here to view the service recording.

Helen (Needleman) Sawyer, 95, of Cambridge, Massachusetts passed peacefully on March 28, 2024, surrounded by loving family. She is survived by two sons, Jeffrey Sawyer and his wife Cathi, and Matthew Sawyer and his wife Sharon, three grandchildren Natalie, Andrew, and Hannah as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Helen was married for 62 years to Robert Sawyer who passed in 2016. She is a graduate of Smith College and earned a Master of Library Science from Boston University. For over 25 years, Helen was a librarian in the Brookline Public Schools.

Graveside service at 1:00pm on Monday, April 1, 2024 at Lindwood Memorial Park, 490 North St.,  Randolph. Following the service, family and friends will gather in the Beal Family Interfaith Chapel at Newbridge on the Charles,  5000 Great Meadow Road, Dedham, MA from 3:00-8:00 pm.

Donations in Helen’s name may be made to Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind or the Baker School Library in Brookline, Massachusetts.

To view the service recording please click here.

Charles (Chuck) Goodman, age 88, of Sharon, Massachusetts, beloved husband, much loved Dad, and cherished and adoring Papa, passed away peacefully and unexpectedly surrounded by his loving family on March 27 due to complications from a fall.

He leaves his wife of 64 years, Carolyn (Chartor) who he met on a blind date in 1958 in Chicago and was his partner in all ways in life. Chuck was very proud of and devoted to his four children who adored him, Michelle of San Francisco and Chestnut Hill, Lawrence (Lisa) of Sharon, Ronald (Marie) of Sharon, and Andrea of Brookline; and grandsons, David, Daniel, Tyler, and Jake; and brother-in-law Joseph Chartor (Phyllis).

Born and raised on the North Side of Chicago, Chuck was the only child of I. Leo and Sylvia Goodman. He was extremely proud of his Chicago roots. Chuck graduated from Senn High School and the University of Illinois/Champaign-Urbana where he was a member of the Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity. He was known for his athleticism in intramural sports and also served in ROTC, eventually becoming a Captain in the U.S. Army.

After beginning to work as a CPA and marrying Carolyn, they moved to Milton, Massachusetts. Chuck started his family while working full-time, going to law school at night earning his JD degree from Boston College Law School, and serving in the Army Reserves before moving to Sharon where he resided in the same home for 53 years. Chuck was a partner at several accounting firms before forming Goodman & Goodman. He was a wise and trusted advisor to clients, with many of these relationships lasting 40-to-50, even 60 years.

Family came first for Chuck, and he enjoyed traveling around the U.S. and world with Carolyn and on memorable trips with the entire family. He was always an active and steady presence in the lives of his children and grandchildren, and a regular on the town ballfields, as a coach and fan. He was one of the founding members of the Brotherhood at Temple Israel in Sharon, and a longtime member of many Town of Sharon Committees, including the Finance Committee in which he was a past Chairman and most recently the liaison to the Library Trustees.

Chuck was truly a good man, humble and modest, and he will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by many.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 1 at 1 pm at the Sharon Memorial Park Chapel followed by interment.

Memorial observance will be held at his late residence on Monday, April 1 from 6 – 8 pm, and Tuesday, April 2 from 2 – 5 pm. Remembrances in Chuck’s memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

Leonard “Lenny” Bernheimer, cherished husband, adored father, adoring grandfather, loving brother, and exemplary friend passed away on March 26, 2024. He was 82 years old.

He leaves his wife and best friend of over 60 years, Marilyn Bernheimer, who he met as a shy 16-year-old and who was the light of his life. He also leaves his two children Beth (Mike) Harrington and Jonathan (Ingrid) Bernheimer, three siblings Walter (Roz) Bernheimer, Robert (Nancy) Bernheimer, and Susie (Mike) Steinberg, and seven grandchildren Caroline (Graham) Reynolds, Molly, Megan, Kerry, and Mark Harrington, and Maya and Anya Bernheimer.

Born in Newton on October 13, 1941, Lenny was a lifelong athlete and lover of all sports. While at Williams College, from which he graduated in 1963, Len discovered his lifelong passion—squash. Lenny’s legacy in squash will live on for years to come, thanks to his long-term involvement with SquashBusters, including serving as its first chairman of the board for 11 years, his more than 35 state, national, and international singles and doubles championships, and his tireless work on behalf of the sport. In recognition of his many contributions, Len was inducted into the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame in 2012.

Lenny was also a graduate of Stanford Business School, longtime member of both Belmont Country Club and the University Club of Boston, and had a long and distinguished career as owner and president of United Lithograph, an innovative commercial printing company in Somerville.

Lenny’s greatest achievement, however, was his love for his family and his friends. He would stop at nothing to support those around him. Universally loved by all who had the good fortune of knowing him, Lenny will be remembered for his unwavering spirit, his unmatched kindness, and his incredible love of humor, especially puns. Lenny was truly one of the good guys.

There will be a private burial on Thursday, March 28, 2024 followed by a reception at the family residence from 3:30–6:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in his name can be sent to SquashBusters at 795 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA 02120.

Deborah Faber, age 78, of Newton, Massachusetts, passed away on March 23, 2024. She was born on May 9, 1945 in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Deborah is survived by her daughter Kathryn Litwak, son Jesse Chernis-Grant, daughter-in-law Robyn Chernis-Grant, her two grandchildren Rebecca and Lily Chernis-Grant, and her sisters Carol Johnson and Joan Faber, her brother-in-law Jeff Brewer, and her incredibly close extended family. She was married for 35 years to her loving husband, Lawrence B. Litwak who passed away in 2016, and she was also preceded in death by her dear brother-in-law Roger Johnson.

Deborah was a loving, witty, brilliant woman who lived a beautiful life surrounded by a tight-knit community of family and lifelong friends.

Services will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at noon at Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington St., Newton, MA. Interment to follow at Newton Cemetery. Shiva will be at Deborah’s late residence on Tuesday following interment until 4:30 pm and continuing from 5:30-7:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (https://www.lbda.org/donate/).

Seena Abrams, of Brookline, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully at home at the age of 89, surrounded by her family on March 21, 2024. Born in Providence, Rhode Island to the late Samuel and Anna (Karklin) Abrams, Seena led a life rich with passion and purpose.

As a psychiatric nurse with an MBA, Seena touched countless lives as a practitioner, manager, and teacher. Her sharp wit and keen intellect were matched only by her fierce independence. An aficionado of the arts, Seena had an eccentric and eclectic taste, collecting a variety of pieces that reflected her unique style and personality. She loved antiquing and adding interesting objects to her collection.

In addition to her passion for art, Seena was a talented and prolific knitter who could always be found working on her next creation. She loved pink, which she used in most of her projects. She also was a self-proclaimed cat lady who adored her feline companions.

She had a close and special relationship with her niece Lisa and her family.

Sister of the late Merna Green, Seena is survived by her nephew Chaim (Ricky) and Beverly Green of Mitzpah Navo, Israel; niece, Lisa Green and Rick Enfield of Weston, Massachusetts; nephew Robert J. Green of Warwick, Rhode Island; and niece Dawn and Ramon Shepard of Ocala, Florida. She is also survived by her great-nieces and nephews, Yossi, Amichai (Penina), Netanel (Rivki), and David Green; Jenny, Rachael, and Jonathan Enfield; Robert, Victoria, Raymond, and Adrianna Green; and Kyle Green Cowdell, Ramon, Julius, and Samuel Shepard.

Graveside services are at Independent Pride of Boston Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury, MA, on Sunday, March 24, 2024, at 2:00 pm.  Following interment, memorial observance will be at the home of Lisa and Rick.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Seena’s memory may be made to the Brookline Food Pantry (https://brooklinefoodpantry.org/) or Compassionate Care ALS (https://ccals.org/

To view the service recording please click here.

On the morning of March 18, surrounded by his loving immediate family, David Alan Porder, 71, passed away suddenly.

David had a spice for life and always had a zinger waiting on the tip of his tongue. He loved yelling at the tv on football Sundays, playing with his dogs, and was an avid golfer. More than anything, David loved being with his family.

He is survived by his wife, Sheri Kates of Newton, children: Heather Porder and Rich Olivieri of Newton and Brooke Porder and Ari Winograd of Holliston, grandchildren Devon and Sivan and fur baby Winston.

David’s surviving family includes his mother Betty Porder and his siblings Carol Porder-Zani and Barry Zani, Ami Porder and Michael Schochet, Andy and Carrie Porder, and many nieces and nephews.

Graveside service will be held at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon, MA on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 11:45 am. Shiva immediately following  on Wednesday 2-6 pm and Thursday 5-7 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in David’s memory may be made to The Animal Rescue League of Boston, 10 Chandler St., Boston, MA 02116.

Lester S. Cohen was born in August 1941 to Hyman and Mildred Cohen of Brookline, MA. He passed away surrounded by his family on March 17, 2024 in Boston, MA. He was proud of his Boston roots and his childhood on St. Paul Street working at the family business, Park Pharmacy. Lester graduated from Brookline High School and then the University of Vermont. After graduation from college and ROTC in 1963, Lester served as a lieutenant in the US Army. While stationed in Fort Knox, KY he met and courted Susan Waldman, a Louisville native. Susan was skeptical that she’d ever see him again once he was stationed overseas but Lester knew they would survive the long distance and eventually marry!  His time serving as a lieutenant in the US Army 3rd Armored Division in Germany produced some of his fondest memories. Lester took great pride in being an Army veteran.

Susan and Lester married in 1966 and raised their young family in Sharon, MA. He continued post-graduate business studies at Boston College while working as an executive at Filene’s Department Store and Morton Shoe. In the late 1970s, Lester moved the family to Ridgewood, NJ where he eventually founded a wholesale footwear company, Grand Imports, Inc.

Lester’s enthusiasm for life was contagious and he was eager to share experiences with family and friends. He was always up for trying new restaurants, new golf courses, new theater productions, and new travel destinations. He kept a mental database of the best and the worst of what he had seen and done over the decades. Even in his final weeks he was advising his daughter on places to stay and eat in Bangkok.

Lester was a lifelong Red Sox/Celtics/Patriots fan but if you’d spent any time with him in the past 20 years, you know that his favorite sporting events were those featuring his grandchildren. His fandom was not limited to sports:  He was just as happy to cheer for his grandchildren who performed or worked behind the scenes in the arts. Lester’s children and grandchildren were his pride and joy. They knew that “Pop Pop” would kvell over their accomplishments as adults just as much as he had done when they were kids.

Lester was proud to have been a member of the NY Cystic Fibrosis Foundation board of directors, a life member of the Two Ten Footwear Foundation, a member of the executive committee of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, and a longtime member of Apple Ridge Country Club in Mahwah, NJ.

Lester is survived by his wife of 58 years Susan Cohen; brother Edward (Dianne) Cohen; sister Inez (Alan) Grimaldi; son Lee (Kristen) Cohen; daughter Beth Schunke; granddaughter Georgia Waehler; and grandsons Daniel, Thomas, Peter, and Charlie Cohen.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Lester’s memory can be made to New England Donor Services, 60 First Avenue, Waltham, MA 02451 (neds.org), the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation MA/RI Chapter, 220 N Main St Ste 104, Natick, MA 01760-1100

(www.cff.org/chapters/massachusetts-rhode-island-chapter), or to the charity of your choice.

Graveside services will be private. Friends, family, and loved ones are invited to celebrate Lester’s life at a luncheon on Sunday, March 24. Please contact Lee Cohen for details if you wish to join us.

Jane Coles Ryter of Newton passed away lovingly surrounded by her family on March 16, 2024. She was the adoring mother of Michael and Carrie Ryter, the loving wife of David Ryter, and the devoted daughter of Elinor (Golden) Coles and the late Harris Coles. She is predeceased by her brother Kenny Coles and husband David Aronson. Services will be held at Temple Shalom of Newton on Tuesday, March 19, at 1 pm, with burial following at Sharon Memorial Park. Shiva will be held on Tuesday evening until 7 pm at Temple Shalom and on Wednesday from 3 to 5 pm and 7 to 9 pm at the family’s home. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute or the Marginal Way Preservation Fund (Ogunquit, ME).

Of Chestnut Hill and North Truro, on March 16, 2024, 4 days short of his 90th birthday. Herb was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, the son of the late Dr Aaron Hechtman and the late Betty Solomon. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School, Princeton University and Harvard Medical School. He was a Surgical Oncologist and spent the bulk of his career at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.  He also held the title of full academic professor at Harvard Medical School.

He was the devoted husband of the late Mina Hechtman and devoted partner, since Mina’s death, to Susan Calechman. Cherished father of Julia Hechtman Sall and her husband, Eric, Daniel Hechtman and his long-time partner Marilyn Feuer, and Abigail Hechtman. Loving grandfather of Madeline and Charlotte Sall, Rachel and Joshua Hechtman, and Laura Hechtman Ross.

Funeral services will be private. Shiva is 3:30-6:30 Monday at the Salls.

In lieu of flowers, kindly send donations to Hadassah Medical Organization

Age 97, of Boca Raton, Florida, formerly of Geneva, Switzerland, on March 16, 2024.  Born on April 18, 1926, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Joseph and Sarah Rice, surrounded by his loving older sisters Sylvia, Renee, Doris, and Natalie.  He attended Brookline High School and attended Northeastern University, where he was a track star and served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.  While attending Northeastern, he ran several Boston Marathons.  After graduating with honors, he went to work as a junior engineer at Sylvania in Salem, firing up the boilers early each morning.  As the years progressed, his sales and marketing skills became evident.  He quickly moved up the ranks at Sylvania, moving with his family, including the late Virginia Snow Rice and sons, Joseph and Thomas, to Panama, Puerto Rico, various U.S. locations, and ultimately to GTE Sylvania’s European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, where he served as President and Director General, with responsibilities for company operations and over 100,000 employees in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.  Upon his retirement in 1991, he moved with the family back to the US and settled in Boca Raton, with frequent travels back to see his extended family in Boston and the North Shore.  In 2009, his beloved wife Virginia passed away.  In time he found love again with his wife of 14 years, Jami Huryan Rice.  Elliot is survived by his loving wife, Jami, and his loving son, Joseph Rice; daughters -in-law Joanna Rice and Sharon Rice; grandsons Zachary and Devan Rice; and numerous nieces and nephews.  He will be sorely missed by the entire extended Rice family. Graveside Service on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 10:30 AM at Temple Israel Cemetery, 492 North Ave., Wakefield, MA.

Marsha Carol Cohen nee Minkofsky

October 21, 1947 – March 16, 2024

Marsha passed away on March 16^th, after visits by family and friends.  She is survived by her husband of over 50 years Steven Cohen, her brother Stephen Minkofsky, her daughters Miriam Cohen Franzen (Kurt) and Deborah Kleinman (Joe), and her three grandchildren Ethan, David, and Anja Franzen.

Marsha was born on October 21, 1947, in Boston, Massachusetts to David and Jessie Minkofsky.  She was the youngest of three children, growing up with her sister, Ryna, who passed away in 2008, and her brother Stephen.  She spent her early childhood in Dorchester, MA living close to her grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins.  As a teenager, her family lived in Quincy, MA right next to the ocean.  She spent many summers boating and sunbathing.  She also helped her parents show movies to friends and neighbors in her parents’ backyard, a tradition that went on for over 13 years.

After graduating Quincy High School in 1965, Marsha attended Northeastern University and the Beth Israel Hospital School of Radiologic Technology where she became a certified X-Ray technologist.  Marsha began her career in Beth Israel’s ER, even helping to deliver a baby in the front seat of a car just outside the ER doors.

She met Steven on a blind date.  After three months they eloped in a hardware store in Vermont, followed by a wedding, officiated by a rabbi, in the presence of family.  Shortly after their first daughter was born, they moved to Greensboro, NC.  A second daughter soon followed.  Marsha balanced motherhood with growing her career, working in the High Point Hospital ER, then at a few private practice medical offices.  She spent the last 30 years of her career working for the Hand Center of Greensboro.  She cared deeply for her patients, many of whom were delighted to run into her in public.

Marsha enjoyed beach trips with Steven, rooting for the Boston sports teams, playing Mahjongg with friends, and spending time with her daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren.  She always made a point of attending her grandchildren’s birthday parties, b’nei mitzvah, and graduations.  She remembered everyone’s birthdays without fail.  She gave generously of her time helping at the hospital many Christmases so that others could spend that day with their families, volunteering at her synagogue including working with the Chevre Kadisha to prepare deceased congregants for burial, working as guardian ad litem in the Greensboro court system, volunteering as a reading tutor with elementary school kids, and helping friends and neighbors in need.

Marsha leaves behind friends and family that miss her, love her, and are filled with wonderful memories and lessons from her.  She will be greatly missed.

Annette Posen-Of Mclean, VA, on March 15, 2024.

Stone, Joan of Belmont, formerly of Chestnut Hill on March 15, 2024. Beloved wife of the late Nelson Stone. Adored daughter of the late Stella and Alfred Grossman. Devoted mother of Alan Stone and his wife, Marla, and Carolyn Miller and her husband Bruce. Cherished grandmother of Jeffrey and his wife Dr. Ghazal Stone, Michael Stone, James Stone and his fiance Ally Bono, Douglas Stone, Andrea Brier and her husband Michael, and Jonathan Miller. Loving great-grandmother of Jacob and Max Brier and Ella Stone. Loving sister of the late Sylvia and Dr. David Kaplan, sister-in-law of the late William and Faye Stone, and loving aunt of their children. The family wishes to thank Belmont Manor and the Karger Family for their incredible, compassionate care. Private services have been held. Remembrances may be made to Hebrew SeniorLife’s Center Communities of Brookline; Hebrew SeniorLife, Attn. Development Office, 1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131 or www.hebrewseniorlife.org/tributegift or the charity of your choice.

James Casty-Of Boca Raton, FL, formerly of Newton, on March 11, 2024.Dear son of the late David and Libby Casty. Beloved husband of Nancy Casty. Devoted father of Lesley Casty Grinberg and her husband Gyl, and Michael Casty and his wife Jeanine Trovato Casty. Loving Grampy of Ari, Max, Bella, David, and Josh. Brother of Scott, Lee, and Ronald. Services at The Chapel of Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon, on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 10:00 am.

Хай пам’ять про неї буде благословенною.

Gabriel Thomas Klein, March 2, 2024. Funeral service on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 10:30 am at Temple Emunah, 9 Piper Rd., Lexington, MA. Burial will follow at Beit Olam East Cemetery, 42 Concord Rd., Wayland, MA.  Shiva will be observed at the home of Michael Klein and Susan Cohen Saturday – Wednesday 7-9 pm.  Donations in his memory may be made to Big Brother Big Sister of Eastern Massachusetts https://emassbigs.org/donate/why-donate or American Friends of Magen David Adom https://afmda.org/donate

Pauline Frank

Of Newton, March 7, 2024. Beloved wife of the late Arnold L. Frank. Loving mother of Joanne Suna of Briarcliff Manor, NY, Marjorie Finkel and her husband Leonard of Framingham, and Lisa Rockland of Fort Collin, CO. Cherished grandmother of Rachel (Michael), Joshua (Mikel), Alyssa (Jason), Lindsay (Aidan), Joseph (Jacqueline) and Jordan Rockland. Devoted great-grandmother of Aden, Eliana, Briella, Noa, Ariana, Sadie, Charlie and Bryce. Graveside Service on Monday, March 11, 2024 at Adath Jeshurun Cemetery, 350 Grove St., West Roxbury at 1:00 PM. Remembrances in memory of Pauline may be made to a charity of your choice.

Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Friend and All-Around Beautiful Person

Ellen C. Lewin, 77, who lived a wonderful lifetime putting others before herself, made a graceful exit from this world on March 5, 2024. She died peacefully at home after a valiant, inspiring but ultimately insurmountable encounter with leukemia. Surrounded by music, love, and family, Ellen left us with a pleasant smile on her face and a beautiful sense of calm in her heart. Even at the end, she was able to put everyone around her at ease.

Ellen grew up in Milton, MA, the daughter of Sylvia Nathan and Dr. Jerome Nathan, from whom she inherited a love of people and music. Although she was a shy little kid, her big, beautiful voice and bright blue eyes lifted people’s spirits from a very young age. After winning the televised regional talent show Community Auditions in 1955 at the age of eight, Ellen brought her singing talents to temple choirs, family hootenannies, and volunteer performances at assisted living facilities throughout Massachusetts. Her ability to harmonize on a moment’s notice and uplift people’s spirits under any circumstances have became legendary in certain circles. When not filling the world with music, Ellen enjoyed swimming, reading, playing golf, spending time at the lake house in Pembroke, MA and following her beloved New England sports teams with a passion rivaled only by the teams themselves.

Ellen loved her life. Mostly she loved the people in it. She loved being a confidant and source of loving support for her husband. She loved raising her sons, participating in their shenanigans, and encouraging them in everything they aspired to do. She loved caring for her parents and in-laws. She loved loving her amazing granddaughters. And she loved spending time with her family and friends, whether in Massachusetts, Texas, California, Colorado or Florida, where she most recently found her happy place at the beach in Naples.

Ellen is survived by her best friend and loving husband of 56 years, Leonard, her devoted sons, James and Daniel, her pal and daughter-in-law Malia, her perfect granddaughters, Kahea and Naia, her adoring brothers, Richard and John, and a massive extended family of relatives, neighbors, old friends and new friends who will love, admire and miss her for many years to come.

A celebration of life service for Ellen will be held on Monday, March 11, 2024 at 11:00 am at Temple Shalom, 175 Temple St., West Newton, MA. Interment will follow at Sharon Memorial Park. Shiva will be at Leonard and Ellen’s home in Newton following interment.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in memory of Ellen Lewin to support cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Such gifts may be made  via dana-farber.org/gift or at the following address: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284.

Additionally, so that others may be blessed with the precious gift of time which Ellen enjoyed so deeply these past few years, her family encourages anyone and everyone reading this to please consider joining the bone marrow registry at https://bethematch.org.

Charlotte H. (Grace) Miller, on March 5, 2024 passed away peacefully at the age of 93. Wife of the late Aaron Miller, the love of her life. Charlotte’s smile was so bright it lit up every room she walked into. Her giggle was contagious. Charlotte is survived by her daughter Marcia Silverstein and her husband Gary, son Richard Miller and his wife Jamie. Charlotte had the good fortune to live close to her grandchildren and saw them often. She will be very missed by all, especially her grandchildren, Steven Silverstein and his wife Rachel, Michael Silverstein and his wife Sharon, Hannah Miller and Jonah Miller. Charlotte also had two great grandsons Zachary Aaron Silverstein and Evan Nathan Silverstein – they would have loved to giggle with their great grandma Charl.

She is predeceased by her parents Sadie (Simons) and Max Grace, and brother Marty Grace.  Charlotte’s family is so grateful for the love, compassion, and companionship from the staff at Adelaide of Newton Centre.

Graveside service will be held on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 11 AM at Boylston Lodge Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury, MA.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Charlotte’s Memory to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washingtons St, Suite 310, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481.

Edith Claire (Garfinkle) Barish, known to many as”Edie”, of Framingham MA, passed away on March 2, 2024. During her 83 years, she enjoyed a life filled with family and friends.

Edie was born on July 7, 1940 to Samuel and Elizabeth Garfinkle in Brookline, MA. After she graduated from Brookline High School in 1958, she went on to study education at the University of Miami.

During college, Edie met George Barish of Miami, FL. They later married in 1961, and had two children, Marilyn and Robert. Edie taught elementary school in Miami for several years. In 1976, she moved to Natick, MA and worked at Dennison Manufacturing Company as an administrative assistant until she retired.

Edie was an active member of Hadassah of Miami and a member of Temple Israel of Natick. She was an avid reader, enjoyed gardening, photography, and liked watching old movies. She especially loved all things purple.

After Edie retired, she enjoyed spending time with her sister, Judith Chalfin of Natick, MA, her children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces. Some of her fondest memories were traveling with Judy to Maine, California, Israel, and many more places.

She is survived by her children Marilyn Barish Audet of Shrewsbury, MA and Robert William Barish of Sunrise, FL.  In addition to her children, Edie is survived by her grandchildren David Joseph Audet, Jr., his wife Kaitlyn Audet, Seth Audet, her sisters Judith and Geraldine, and her many nephews and nieces, Morris, David, Ann, Eileen, Deborah, and Harry.

Services will be held at the Framingham-Natick Jewish Cemetery, Windsor Avenue, Natick, MA on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hadassah, an organization about which Edie was passionate.

Donald Sallet of Dover, MA passed away March 3, 2024, peacefully at his home. Donald spent his final days surrounded by his family and friends.  He was the beloved husband of Lauren for 40 years.  He was a dear father to Jeff and his wife Melissa. He was “silly Pop Pop” to Becca and Abbie.

He is predeceased by his parents Joseph and Sadie (Ellenbogen) Sallet, brother Matthew and sister Lorraine Platzman.

Private services will be at Newton Cemetery and Arboretum, 791 Walnut Street, Newton Center, MA on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 1pm.  Open Shiva will take place at Smith and Wollensky, 583 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA on Friday March 8, 2024 from 3pm-7pm, where family and friends are welcome.

Donald enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and his dogs.  A kind man, he enjoyed having conversations about world affairs and sharing his knowledge of history with anyone he met.  Don happily spent hours restoring antique lamps, slot machines and working in his yard. A graduate of Brookline High School, he proudly served in the US Army Reserves.  Don was a career entrepreneur first owning two furniture stores and then a lamp store.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Don’s memory may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation or to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Gilbert N. Sklover of Salem, MA, 98, passed away peacefully on February 29, 2024. Gilbert was born on March 8, 1925, in Marblehead. He was the son of the late Ann (Hessel) and Joseph Sklover. He was the loving husband of the late Phyllis {Sipel) Sklover with whom he shared 64 years of marriage. His family was one of the first Jewish families in Marblehead.

He attended schools in Marblehead and Wentworth Institute of Technology. He served in the military right after high school from 1943-1946. Gil’s successful career as a metallurgist for the United States Government included working on projects such as the Apollo Space Program.

He was an active member and past President of the Brotherhood of Temple Shalom in Salem. He was passionate and knowledgeable about Big Band Jazz and attended jazz concerts at the Marblehead Arts Association for over 30 years. He was also an avid chess player.

A great day for Gil was going for coffee in Marblehead with his wife Phyllis.

Gilbert is survived by his son Steven and wife Patricia of Santa Barbara, CA, and his daughter Susan Grant and her husband Michael of Beverly. He was the proud grandfather of Andrew, Lindsay, Rachel, and Jacob.

Graveside service will be held on Monday March 4, 2024 at 12:00 noon at  Sons of Jacob Cemetery, 16 Buxton Lane off of Route 114 in Danvers.

Following the service, memorial observance will be held at the home of Susan and Michael Grant until 6 pm.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Templeemanuel.com/Gift Giving/Preschool/Rand H Grant Fund.

Paulette Silberberg-On February 26, 2024.Private Graveside services were held in New York on February 29th.