Obituaries

Muriel Bromberg

Muriel S. Bromberg, 89, passed away Oct. 28, 2016. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., Ms. Bromberg was among the first generation of her family to be born in the United States along with one of her brothers. Three older siblings were born in Poland and the family escaped before… Read more »

Leonard Cohen, whose Jewish-infused poetry and songs inspired generations, is dead at 82

Leonard Cohen during a concert in Ramat Gan, Israel, Sept. 24, 2009. (Marko/Flash90)

  (JTA) — Leonard Cohen, the Canadian singer-songwriter whose Jewish-infused work became a soundtrack for melancholy, has died. He was 82. “It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist Leonard Cohen has passed away,” his Facebook page said late Thursday. “We have lost one… Read more »

Norman William Salmon

Norman William Salmon, 90, passed away on Oct. 22, 2016 in Tucson at ‘Peppi’s House’ Hospice, after brief and unexpected health complications. Norman was a dedicated husband and father, survived by his wife, Phyllis, of 66 years; daughters, Chelley Salmon and Gayle Salmon Gale — and Alula Tzadik, who… Read more »

Rochelle Rubin

Rochelle Rubin, 80, died Oct. 22, 2016. Mrs. Rubin was an interior designer for more than 40 years, with projects across North America. Survivors include the love of her life, Irwin Sattinger; her and Irwin’s children, Mark (Leigh Bernstein) Rubin, Pam (Craig) Gleichman; Wynne (Pete) Haakenstad; Jane Wilson, who… Read more »

Jim Lipsey

James L. Lipsey, 95, died Oct. 7, 2016. Born in Omaha, Neb., Mr. Lipsey graduated from Omaha Central High School and the University of Nebraska. He enlisted in the Air Force two weeks after Pearl Harbor and served for five years — stateside and in the Pacific Theater of… Read more »

Deborah Margolis

Deborah Evelyn Swade Margolis, 92, died Oct. 5, 2016. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she married Bernard Israel Margolis during a two-week furlough before he headed off to the Pacific. They were married for nearly 60 years before his death in 2002. Mrs. Margolis was also preceded in death by… Read more »

Irving Olson, artist, world traveler, dies at 102

Irving J. Olson, 102, entrepreneur, photographer and philanthropist, died at his home in Oro Valley on Oct. 1, 2016. Born on Nov. 26, 1913, in New Britain, Conn., he chalked up the first of many lifetime achievements: recognition by the governor as the heaviest newborn in Connecticut that year… Read more »

Neil Russakoff

Neil Russakoff, 50, died on Sept. 23, 2016, of complications from bone marrow transplantation due to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Russakoff was a pediatrician in Tucson. He is survived by his wife, Maria (Isaacs); sons, Max and Ben; parents, David and Ina Russakoff of Birmingham, Ala.; brothers, Steven (Wyndi) Russakoff… Read more »

Patricia Ann Makemson Stevenson

9/28/1930 – 7/5/2016 Patty, known fondly as Goober, was the great-great-great-grandniece of Union General Joseph Hooker, and a direct descendant of Malcolm the 1st, King of Scotland. She was a woman of courage and compassion; “The true majesty of a royal daughter is inside her”. (Psalm 45:14) Our Mom… Read more »

Sylvia Smith

Sylvia Smith died on Aug. 15, 2016, her 99th birthday. Mrs. Smith was born in New York City to immigrants from Eastern Europe. She graduated from Hunter College, then the women’s adjunct to the highly selective City College of New York, as a biology major, and was elected to the… Read more »

Leonard Cooper

Leonard Frederick Cooper, 90, died Aug. 24, 2016. Born in Manhattan, N.Y., Mr. Cooper served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1946, in the European and Mediterranean theatres, and received the European, African, Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Rifleman’s Badge and was… Read more »

Fern Feder

Fern Feder, 87, died Aug. 23, 2016. She was born and raised in Chicago, where she met her husband, Ed, and raised their two sons. Mrs. Feder became an advocate for deaf education after her son Mark was diagnosed as being deaf at birth. After the diagnosis, she completed… Read more »

Claire Nasch

Claire Nasch, 94, died Aug. 14, 2016. Mrs. Nasch was born in Konstanz, Germany. Survivors include her sons, Victor Nasch and Richard Nasch; brother, Jack; and one  granddaughter. Services and interment were in New Jersey. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1159 N. Craycroft Road, Tucson,… Read more »

Miriam Barsk

Miriam Barsk, 88, died May 22, 2016. Born in Chicago, Mrs. Barsk graduated early from high school, married Willard Davey in 1944 and moved to Dodgeville, Wisc. After they divorced in 1948, she returned to Chicago. While working at White Photo Sales, she met Benjamin Barsk and they married… Read more »

Alexandra Bloom

Alexandra (Sandy) Bloom, 88, died June 13, 2016. Born in Chicago, Mrs. Bloom was raised in Baltimore, Md. After graduating Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in education, she began teaching elementary school in Long Beach, Calif. While living in Long Beach, she met Theodore Bloom and moved to… Read more »

Gerald Sherman

Gerald Marshall Sherman, 90, died July 3, 2016. Born in Chicago, the youngest of three children of Russian immigrants, Mr. Sherman was a decorated World War II veteran. His awards include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the French Legion of Honor Medal. Mr. Sherman was an active… Read more »

Gail Freedman

Gail Sue Freedman, 57, died July 11, 2016. Born in Chicago, Ms. Freedman moved to Tucson in 1973 and completed high school at Saguaro High School before attending Pima Community College. She was a general manager of Coco’s, an avid practitioner of astrology, an artist, and a spiritual advisor.… Read more »

Community leader Bill Holmes dies

Local businessman and community leader Bill Holmes, 58, died suddenly on Monday, July 18. “Bill, beloved husband of Shelley Pozez, lived his life fully and gave such joy to our world.  He was a treasured member of our Federation Board who, through the force of his personality and devotion to… Read more »

Annette Katzeff

Annette Katzeff, 95, formerly of Tucson, died June 11, 2016. Mrs. Katzeff was preceded in death by her husband, Albert. Survivors include her children, Rochelle (Louis Stamler) Katzeff of Tucson and Karen (Jerry) Morris of Chicago; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Services were held at Evergreen Mortuary with Rabbi… Read more »

Sharon Roffman

Sharon Iris Roffman, 61, died June 3, 2016. Born and raised in Tucson, Ms. Roffman graduated from Rincon High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Arizona. She worked for many years in the health care field, first as a medical assistant to several… Read more »