Waukesha native Sam Cagen died Nov. 17 of natural causes. He was 95.
He graduated from Waukesha High School in 1935 and moved to Milwaukee that same year. He was a jeweler and worked for Stein Jewelers.
He was active in Congregation Anshai Liebowitz and held “all” the lay offices, according to his family.
His son Lauren Cagen preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife Sara (nee Israel); daughter Leslie (Dennis) Wolfman of Sugar Land, Texas, and son Stuart (Sheina) Cagen of Houston, Texas; daughter-in-law Ellen Cagen of Memphis, Tenn.; brother Abe Cohn of Fish Creek; uncle Hersh Makowski; brother-in-law Phillip Israel; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Levi Emmer officiated at the funeral on Nov. 19.
Native Milwaukeean Evelyn Davidoff, nee Rakita, died Dec. 1 of a brain tumor. She was 83.
She graduated from high school in 1946, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She worked for Blue Cross in Milwaukee until her retirement.
According to her sister, Gloria (Arthur) Leon, she enjoyed travelling worldwide, and was “an excellent ballroom dancer.”
Her husband, Harold Davidoff, died in 2000. In addition to her sister, she is survived by children Monte Davidoff, Elena Davidoff, Roxane (Lance Lichter) Davidoff, and Madalyn (David Thompson) Davidoff; and sister Lois (Melvin) Goldstein.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Steven H. Adams officiated at the funeral on Dec. 5. Burial was in Second Home Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Helen Bader Center, 1410 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, WI, 53202.
Paul S. Elias of Mequon died Oct. 26 from complications of Lewy body dementia. He was 86.
He was born in Chicago and graduated from Parker High School as an all-star basketball player. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aerial engineer in the European theater during World War II. In 1949, he graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in business administration, and he was elected to the Delta Mu Delta honor society.
In Chicago, he worked for Mandel Brothers department store, where he met his wife, and Playtex Co. He moved to Milwaukee in 1956, and in that city worked for Kupper Inc. as merchandise and sales manager. This firm became K-Promotions, where he later started and directed two divisions, Herbil Inc. and Pro Inc. At this firm, he developed and produced in-flight catalogues for U.S. airlines.
K-Promotions was purchased by the Carlson Companies, and he moved to Minneapolis in 1982 to become president of the consumer promotions division of that firm. He returned to Milwaukee in 1985.
He was active in many local organizations, including the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, the Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations, the Anti-Defamation League, the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Israel Bonds, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. He served as president of Lakeshore B’nai B’rith Lodge and of the Wisconsin Region Jewish National Fund.
He is survived by wife of 59 years Jennie Lee (nee Feldschreiber); sons Eric Elias of Glendale, Stephen (Tami Smith) Elias of Golden Valley, Minn., and Daniel (Lisa) Elias of Whitefish Bay; brother Bernard (Joan) Elias of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; and six grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Jacob Herber officiated at the funeral on Oct. 29. Burial was in Second Home Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid and the Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC.
Milwaukeean Herschel Gellerman died Oct. 28. He was 92.
He was born in Rock Island, Ill., and graduated from high school there in 1937. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and “received several military honors for his service,” according to his family.
He worked in the business of his wife’s family, Siegel Auto Parts, in Waterloo, Iowa, before 1965. In that year he moved to Milwaukee, where he worked as a broker and in financial services.
He was a member of Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid, where he was “the manager, choreographer, overseer, commander-in-chief of our evening minyan,” according to Rabbi Jacob Herber in his eulogy for him.
He also was involved with B’nai B’rith, Hadassah, and the Jewish War Veterans. His family also said that he was “an avid reader with a lifelong love of Yiddish music, language, and culture.”
His wife Charlotte (nee Siegel) died in 2003. He is survived by daughters Joy (Gilbert) Chaitin of Bloomington, Ind., and Jill (Avi) Gellerman-Pandey of New York City; and two grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. The funeral and burial took place in Waterloo on Oct. 30. Rabbi Jacob Herber officiated at a memorial service at the Jewish Home and Care Center on Oct. 31.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Herschel Gellerman Memorial Fund of the Jewish Home and Care Center.
Milwaukeean David Glazer died Nov. 25. He was 98.
He graduated from North Division High School in 1932. He worked as a cosmetologist at David’s Beauty Salon.
He was a member of Congregation Beth Jehudah and had a special interest in music.
His wife, Dorothy (nee Joseph), died in 2007. He is survived by son Gerald (Cissy) Glazer; four grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren.
The Jewish Community Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Michel Twerski officiated at the funeral on Nov. 25. Burial was in Second Home Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to Congregation Beth Jehudah.
Eli Hait of Glendale died Oct. 14 of natural causes. He was 91.
He was born in Riga, Latvia, and came to Milwaukee in 1937. He graduated from high school in 1939 and later took night courses at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to earn his bachelor’s degree.
He worked as a project manager at Allis Chalmers for 42 years, then at Prudential Real Estate for seven years. He was also a consultant at Siemen Company for eight years.
He was a member of Beth El Ner Tamid Synagogue and active in its Men’s Club. He was a 32nd Degree Mason. According to his family, he enjoyed gardening and “fixing odds and ends for friends and family.”
His wife, Harriet (nee Sweet), died in 2006. He is survived by daughter Diane (Lynn Pagenkop) Graham Pagenkop; sons Daniel (Jill) Hait and Gary Hait; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Shlomo Levin officiated at the funeral on Oct. 16. Burial was in Spring Hill Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Alzheimers Association, 322 Eighth Ave., New York, NY, 10001.
Former Milwaukeean Stephen Jon Schumacher of Golden Valley, Minn., died Dec. 3 of a heart attack. He was 51.
He was born in Milwaukee and graduated from Nicolet High School in 1980. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 1984, and a master’s degree in non-profit management in 1999 from Hamline University.
According to his profile on the web site LinkedIn, he was executive director of the Minnesota Life College for five years, executive director of The Whole Learning School for two years, owner of Our Town for one year, director of the STEP-UP Summer Jobs Program of AchieveMpls for a year, interim program director at the Sabes Jewish Community Center for five months; and senior employment counselor at HIRED for nearly three years.
He was a member of Congregation Shir Tikvah. He also was a board member of the Golden Valley Human Services Foundation and of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, according to the LinkedIn profile.
He is survived by his wife Penny (nee Mendelson); daughters Allie, Talia, and Samara Schumacher; parents Judith and Jerry Schumacher; sisters Jodi (Robb) Marcus and Cari (Alan) Polan; and mother-in-law Ronit Mendelson.
The funeral took place Dec. 5 in Minneapolis.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Stephen Schumacher Tikkun Olam Memorial Fund, c/o Congregation Shir Tikvah, 1360 W. Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55419.
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