William Sanford Abramson of Glendale died Feb. 12 of natural causes. He was 86.
He was born and raised in Duluth, Minn., graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1943, and attended the University of Minnesota from 1947-49. He served in the U.S. Army in an artillery unit in the European Theater of World War II, where he helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp. He came to Milwaukee from Chicago in 1959.
He was a cigar salesman for Consolidated Cigar, and owned and operated a Sweet ‘n’ Counter store.
He was a member of Congregation Beth Israel, the Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A., and the American Legion. He was a fundraiser and volunteer for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. He was a dedicated Green Bay Packers fan who held season tickets for 45 years.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ruth Abramson (nee Keith); daughters Beth (Richard Katz) Abramson of Fox Point, Benita (Paul) Hindin of Mequon, and Sandy Hayes of Chicago; brother Palmer Abramson of Minneapolis; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Jacob Herber officiated at the funeral at Congregation Beth Israel on Feb. 14. Burial was in Second Home Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to Congregation Beth Israel or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Milwaukee native Stephen M. Fine of Chicago died Feb. 17 of heart disease. He was 57.
He graduated from Nicolet High School in 1973 and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1977. He worked as a certified public accountant for Delta Technologies in Chicago.
He is survived by his mother, Marilyn Fine, of Milwaukee; and his sister, Suzanne (Michael) Kirsch of Arlington Heights, Ill.
Blane Goodman Funeral Services handled arrangements. Rabbi Marc Berkson officiated at the funeral on Feb. 21. Burial was in Spring Hill Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun or Hadassah.
Former Milwaukeean Howard Kissel, New York City theater critic and author, died Feb. 24 from the complications of a liver transplant. He was 69.
He graduated from Shorewood High School in 1960, earned an undergraduate degree from Columbia University and a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
He served as arts editor for Women’s Wear Daily, then became chief theater critic for the New York Daily News, where he worked for more than 20 years, leaving in 2008.
He chaired the New York Film Critics Circle and the New York Drama Critics Circle. He is the author of “David Merrick: The Abominable Showman” (2000), a biography of the Broadway producer, and of “New York Theater Walks” (2007). He also had a brief acting role in Woody Allen’s 1980 film “Stardust Memories.”
His wife, Christine, died in 2006. He is survived by his sisters, Judy Kissel of Coral Springs, Fla., and Anne (David) Elliot of Palm City, Fla.
Funeral services took place Feb. 28 in Temple Shaaray Tefila in New York City.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or the Jewish Community Center of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Larry Royter of Glendale died Feb. 25. He was 72.
According to his family, he was a Milwaukee native who had only an elementary school education. He worked at the former Jewish Vocational Service and at Goodwill.
According to his wife of 22 years, Jacquelyn Rae Royter (nee Tepps), he enjoyed lawn bowling and lane bowling, the songs of Elvis Presley, and was active in the North Suburban Special Olympics. He was a member of Temple Menorah.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by sisters Edith Lerner of Milwaukee and Helen (Gene) Leshner of Menomonee Falls; and mother-in-law Anna Mae Tepps of Brown Deer.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Gil-Ezer Lerer and Cantor Carey Cohen officiated at the funeral on Feb. 27. Burial was in Agudas Achim Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the North Suburban Special Olympics, 1008 Woodview Dr., Grafton, WI, 53024; or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY, 10008.
Milwaukee native Ruth G. Sudvarg, nee Glicklich, of Tucson, Ariz., died March 2 of a protracted infection. She was 88.
She graduated from Washington High School in 1940, where she was valedictorian; attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and graduated from Milwaukee Teachers College in 1951 with a degree in education. She taught kindergarten in the Milwaukee Public Schools for 33 years.
She was a member of Temple Menorah, Hadassah, and the National Education Association. She enjoyed swimming, reading, and playing the piano.
She was preceded in death by her husbands Herman Gilman in 1950 and Morris Sudvarg in 1988. She is survived by daughters Frema (Mario) Larios of San Diego and Rosanne Gilman of Tucson, Ariz.; son John Gilman of New York City; brother Marvin (Diane) Glicklich; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Gil-Ezer Lerer officiated at the funeral on March 7. Burial was in Beth Hamedrosh Hagodel Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the American Heart Association.
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