Obituaries

Mitchell Scott Pozner, M.D. dies

Dr. Mitchell Scott Pozner

My loving son, Mitchell, a pediatrician, died suddenly in his sleep on Thursday, October 21, 2021 in Sharon, Massachusetts. He was born on July 22, 1960 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to me, his mom, and his dad, the late Dr. Samuel Pozner. He will be dearly missed by his… Read more »

Of Blessed Memory: Rabbi Arthur Oleisky

Rabbi Arthur Oleisky

It is with a heavy heart that we share that Rabbi Emeritus Arthur Oleisky passed away on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. Rabbi Sara Metz of Congregation Anshei Israel shared the following message with us: We are sad to inform you of the passing of Rabbi Arthur Oleisky this Shabbat… Read more »

Dr. Seneca Erman dies

Dr. Seneca Erman and Cantor Janece Cohen at Congregation Or Chadash in 2016 (Elliot Framan).

Dr. Seneca Erman passed away on Sept. 29, 2021. Seneca was the husband of Dorothy Erman z”l; father of Cantor Janece Cohen, Dr. Spencer (Nancy) Erman, and Dr. Russ (Anat) Erman; grandfather of Brayton (Danielle), Derek, Lara, Zachary (Katie), Jared (Erica), and Ariel, great grandfather of Aivi, Cillian, Abigail,… Read more »

Remembering Phyllis Maizlish: a true friend to our community

Phyllis Maizlish

Phyllis Ruth Goldberg Maizlish, age 88, died on Thursday, August 26th at her beloved “Little House” in Park City, Utah, surrounded by multitudes of flowers and her loving daughters and son. Phyllis was born in Pittsburg, Kansas, and moved to the Kansas City area as a teenager.  At Paseo… Read more »

Murray Keshner, art director, dad, painter, singer, and teacher dies

Murray Keshner and his wife Joyce

Murray Keshner, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather left this earthly plane early Saturday, July 31, just days before his 96th birthday. He was born August 2, 1925 in Brooklyn, NY. In his many roles as husband of 73 years, art director, dad, painter, singer, and teacher, he touched… Read more »

Ray Tilden Davies, internationally renowned lecturer and Holocaust education trailblazer, dies

Ray Tilden Davies, March 4, 1928 – July 5, 2021

Internationally renowned lecturer and Holocaust education trailblazer Ray Tilden Davies died in Tucson on July 5, 2021 at the age of 93. “Ray Davies was a teacher who taught through his actions as well as his words. His deep commitment to advancing civil rights and struggling for social and… Read more »

Harriet Fruchtman Feldman, active synagogue volunteer and gardener, dies

Harriet Fruchtman Feldman

Harriet Fruchtman Feldman was born on February 7th, 1931, in Brooklyn, New York and was preceded in death by her husband Elliott Ivan Feldman in 1989. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Physical Education. In 1996, Harriet was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. This marked… Read more »

Carol Stern, Tucson community leader and Israel advocate, dies

Carol Stern with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir

Carol Stern passed away on Friday, May 14, 2021. She and her husband, Al, of blessed memory, provided invaluable leadership to the Tucson Jewish community for decades, serving as moving forces behind the establishment of our vital institutions. Among her other key contributions, Carol was instrumental in creating Women’s… Read more »

Stuart K. Nelson, Korean War veteran and music lover, dies

Stuart K. Nelson

Stuart K. Nelson of New York City and Tucson, Arizona passed away on April 9, 2021. He is the son of the late Solomon and Helen Nelson and was predeceased by his sister Dr. Anafred Nelson Halpern. Stuart is the cherished husband of Linda Marcus Nelson, beloved father of… Read more »

Veteran and administrative law judge, Irving Winick, dies

Irving Winick

Irving Winick, age 90, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on March 6, 2021. Born on July 11, 1930 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Irving was a graduate of New York University Law School and the Culinary Institute of America. He served in the United States… Read more »

Synagogue advocate Jack “John” Marvin Gellman dies

John Gellman

Jack “John” Marvin Gellman passed away on December 24, 2020, after a brief battle with COVID-19. A tireless champion for synagogues throughout his life, his many years of devotion to the Jewish community in general and Congregation Anshei Israel in particular were well-known. Having joined the congregation in 1977,… Read more »

Barbara Janoff “BJ” Kaplan, age 90, dies

Barbara Janoff "BJ" Kaplan

Barbara Janoff “BJ” Kaplan passed away on Jan. 30, 2021 at age 90. BJ was a beautiful, gracious, genteel and dynamic presence in her communities in New York, Tucson, Washington, D.C., and Florida. She brought wit and humor, creativity and spontaneity to her family, friends and colleagues. She was… Read more »

Long-time Tucson resident, Harold Basser, age 94, dies

Harold Basser at his favorite restaurant in Tucson, Vivace

Long-time Tucson resident, Harold Basser, age 94, died of complications from COVID-19 on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021 at Tucson Medical Center. Earlier in his life, as a real estate developer in Boston, Harold helped pioneer the restoration and renovation of abandoned Industrial Revolution era factories and commercial buildings in… Read more »

Dick Stein, Tucsonan for almost 80 years, dies

Richard Louis Stein, aka Cactus Dick, 85, died Jan. 10, 2021. Born in Detroit, Dick spent close to 80 years in Tucson. A Tucson High School Badger, class of 1953, Dick served in the United States Army before returning home to work in the family businesses, Campbell Avenue Hardware… Read more »

Andrew Rosen dies

Andrew Lorin Rosen, age 66, died on Jan. 19, 2021 from Covid complications. Andy is survived by his wife, Gina, and his three children, Jared, Edie and Emanuel. Andy had a passion for his family history and jazz. Born in Brooklyn, he spent the last three decades in Tucson… Read more »

Nancy Bee

Nancy Bee (nee Shanker Sirota), 92, or Reseda, California, died, Dec. 29, 2020. Survivors include Mike and Pam Sirota of Los Angeles, and Yvonne Cook, Phyllis Bee, Brian and Jane Bee, and Sharon Aviva Bee all of Tucson; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; and a community of friends at… Read more »