Norman Adelman, director of the Children’s Outing Association in Milwaukee from 1958-1990, died in Oak Park, Ill., on Oct. 15 of complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 82.
He was born in Brooklyn and earned an undergraduate degree in psychology at Brooklyn College and a Master of Social Work degree from Columbia University. He came to Milwaukee with his wife, Gertrude (nee Sedlet), around 1954 to work at the Milwaukee Jewish Community Center. He became COA director the following year and stayed there until retirement.
According to information provided by COA, Adelman added winter and spring camping during school breaks and summer camp sessions that included both girls and boys at the same time; and he made COA programs became more culturally diverse.
He directed the creation of multicultural programs for teens, a youth employment program, after-school programs for pre-teens, a summer day camp, and a childcare program. “Under Norm’s leadership, what had been solely a camping organization now also provided a wide range of services for the Milwaukee community,” according to COA.
In addition, according to an Oct. 30 article on oakpark.com, Adelman was active in the Milwaukee civil rights struggle, helped found Milwaukee Citizens for Equal Opportunity, worked against the Vietnam War, and continued as a peace activist through the 1990s.
His wife died in 1974. He is survived by four daughters and eight grandchildren.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 22, 1 p.m., at Children’s Outing Association, 909 E. North Ave., Milwaukee.
Memorial contributions should go to the Norm Adelman Staff Enhancement Fund at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, through COA.
Native Milwaukeean Sarah Harris, nee Becker, died Oct. 26. She was 92.
She graduated from North Division High School and the Mt. Sinai School of Nursing. She served in England during World War II as a U.S. Army nurse; and she continued in the profession in Milwaukee at St. Michael’s Hospital.
She was a member of Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid and was active in the Democratic Party.
She was predeceased by children David Harris and Maureen Harris. She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Irvin Harris; daughters Nancy Harris of Milwaukee, Jeanne (Brian Broussard) Harris of Austin, Texas, and Judy Harris of Denver; son Jack (Dr. Deborah Larkey) Harris of Milwaukee; and four grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Ronald Shapiro officiated at the funeral on Oct. 28. Burial was in Second Home Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association, the Milwaukee Jewish Day School, ARC, or the charity of the donor’s choice.
Jewish War Veteran Simon Katchkey of Sheboygan died on Oct. 31. He was 88.
He graduated from Sheboygan North High School in 1942. He was one of four brothers to serve in the U.S. military at the same time during World War II. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944 and served until 1946 in the European Theater. He earned two Bronze Stars, awarded for bravery or meritorious service. In Germany, he met Elly Korber, whom he married in 1951, and he returned with her to Sheboygan in 1952.
Along with his brother Meyer, Simon owned and operated the Evergreen Broom Manufacturing Co., until the business was sold in 1992.
He was a member of the Jewish War Veterans and a state officer for AMVETS. He helped organize Sheboygan’s Veteran’s Day, Independence Day, and Memorial Day parades.
According to the obituary in the Sheboygan Press, he served on the board of directors of Wisconsin USO, and was recently honored by the Department of Veterans Affairs for having volunteered more than 25,000 hours. Sheboygan Mayor Juan Perez proclaimed May 5, 2008, Simon Katchkey Day.
He also was an active member of Congregation Beth El in Sheboygan, and B’nai B’rith.
His wife died on April 22, 2012. He is survived by sisters Ruth Choy of Sheboygan, Dorothy Josephson of Pewaukee, and Ida Hochstein of New York.
Funeral services were held Nov. 4 at Ballhorn Funeral Chapels. Burial was at Sheboygan Hebrew Cemetery in Kohler.
A memorial fund has been established in his name.
Harriette Ann Lazarus, nee Cohen, of Shorewood died June 21 of cancer. She was 89.
She was born and raised in Minneapolis, where she graduated from the North High School, and came to Milwaukee in 1948. She worked as a clerk at Hack’s Furniture Warehouse.
She helped support B’nai B’rith. Her special interests included helping her daughter with the latter’s snack food business, reading, “Wheel of Fortune,” George Clooney, cooking, and Sousa marches.
Her husband, Jerome E. Lazarus, died in 1997. She is survived by daughter Shelley (David Pritchard) Lazarus of Gurnee, Ill.; and son Lory (Shulamit) Lazarus of Bloomfield, N.J.
Blane Goodman Funeral Service handled arrangements. Rabbi Ronald Shapiro officiated at the funeral on June 24. Burial was in Second Home Cemetery.
Wisconsin native Claire Moss, nee Hellman, of Milwaukee died on Sept. 14 from complications of surgery. She was 90.
She was born in Columbus, Wis., on a Valentine’s Day and earned a teaching degree from what was then the State Teachers College. She was a kindergarten teacher and homemaker.
She was a member of Hadassah and Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid Sisterhood. According to her family, “she embodied unconditional love and acceptance,” and her Hebrew name, Bracha (blessing), personified her.
She is survived by daughters C. Moss of Shelter Cove, Calif., and Tzippi Moss of Jerusalem; sons David Moss, M.D., of Whitefish Bay and Neil Moss of Glendale; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. The funeral took place on Sept. 20. Burial was in Mound Zion Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to charities of the donor’s choice.
Milwaukee native Shirley Pasternak, nee Gorbitz, died Nov. 9 in Chicago. She was 77.
She was born in 1935 in Milwaukee. She graduated from Washington High School in 1953 and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1975 and Master of Fine Arts degree in 1978 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She discovered her identity as an artist in her 30s, first as a painter and subsequently a photographer. She exhibited her work in Milwaukee and later in New York, where she resided from 1981 until her death. Her works can be viewed online at www.shirleypasternak.com.
She was married and divorced from Sidney Kohl and the late Charles Pasternak. She is survived by her sons Robert Kohl (Clark Pellett) of Chicago and Lawrence (Stacey) Kohl of Los Angeles; brother Jack (Charlotte) Gorbette; and four grandchildren.
Services were held Nov. 18 at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 60 E. 56th St., New York, NY, 10022.
Loading ...