Dorothy Duckler Schiller Bern
Milwaukeean Dorothy Schiller Bern, nee Duckler, died Sept. 13 of respiratory failure. She was 99.
She was born in New York City and came to Milwaukee in 1915. She graduated from North Division High School and later “took classes in language development” at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, according to her family.
She lived in La Crosse for a time and then returned to Milwaukee. In La Crosse, she was a member of Congregation Sons of Abraham and served as president of the Jewish Women’s League.
In Milwaukee, she worked as administrative secretary for the UWM Department of French and Italian; and she was a member of Congregation Anshe Sfard and Beth El Ner Tamid Synagogue. She was also a member of Women’s American ORT and Hadassah.
She enjoyed cooking, exercise, knitting, golf, playing the piano and reading, according to her family.
She was married twice. Her first husband, Albert E. Schiller, died in 1966; her second, Howard Bern, died in 2002.
She is survived by daughter Marlene Schiller of New York City and son Harvey (Susan) Schiller of Seattle, Wash.; step-children Alan Bern and Roberta Goldner of Milwaukee and Janice Manhoff of Wilmette, Ill.; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Simcha Prombaum officiated at the graveside service on Sept. 16 in Anshe Chesed Cemetery in La Crosse.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Congregation Sons of Abraham, ORT, Hadassah or the Midrasha Women’s Institute of Torah Studies, c/o Congregation Ezra Bessaroth, 5217 S. Brandon St., Seattle, WA, 98118.
Holocaust survivor Sarah Garfinkel, nee Rosenstein, of Milwaukee died Sept. 18. She was 92.
She was born in Piotrokow, Poland. As a young girl, she helped her family at a summer resort that the family owned. After the German Nazis took over Poland, most of her family was sent to Treblinka. She was sent to the Ravensbrück and later to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camps; she was liberated by the British army at the latter. From a blended family of 10, only four survived the war.
She met her husband Jacob in a displaced person camp in Germany after the war. Their first daughter, Rivka, was born in Germany. From there they moved to Israel where they lived for 11 years. Two more daughters, Judy and Rachel were born in Israel.
In 1960, the family moved to Wisconsin where her sister, Gucia (Meyer) Zaks, and her brother, Benjamin (Sarah) Rosenstein, were already living. (Another brother, Labish [Chuma] Rosenstein, stayed in Israel.) Jacob and Sarah opened a grocery store on the north side of town. They were part of a group of Holocaust survivors and attended Congregation Agudas Achim led by Rabbi Israel Feldman. After 25 years of running J&S Foods on 27th St. and Burleigh Ave., they retired.
According to her family, Sarah’s passion in life was cooking and feeding “everyone.” “If a repairman was at her apartment, she would ask him if he wanted something to eat.” She also had a beautiful penmanship and was asked to address wedding and bar/bat mitzvah celebration invitations for family and friends.
Her husband died in 2002; she was also preceded in death by her siblings and their spouses. She is survived by daughters Rivka (Cal) Gershowitz of Milwaukee, Judy (Benny) Vanderpool of New York City and Rachel (Bob) Rudman of Milwaukee; seven grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbis Nachman Levine and Wes Kalmar officiated at services Sept. 22 at Agudas Achim Cemetery.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the Nathan & Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the American Heart Association or the organization of the donor’s choice.
Millie Lofchie, nee Moses, of Milwaukee died Sept. 9 of cancer. She was 83.
She was born in Newburgh, N.Y. She was a past member of Congregation Shalom.
Her husband, Norman Lofchie, died in 2001. She was also preceded in death by daughter Joy Goldman. She is survived by her son Gary (Kathy) Lofchie and one grandson.
Blane Goodman Funeral Service handled arrangements. Rabbi Ronald Shapiro officiated at the funeral service on Sept. 11. Burial was in Spring Hill Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to Horizon Lawlis Hospice Unit, 13111 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, WI, 53097.
Judith Oxman, nee Kasper, of Glendale died Sept. 18 of pneumonia. She was 95.
She was born and raised in Duluth, Minn., and graduated from high school there. She graduated from Superior State Teachers College (ancestor of the University of Wisconsin-Superior) in 1939, with an undergraduate degree in secondary education.
She worked as a legal secretary in Duluth during World War II. She came to Milwaukee in 1956.
She enjoyed reading, bridge and classical music. She played violin in a small chamber orchestra.
Her husband, Sidney L. Oxman, died in 1998. She is survived by children Michele “Mimi” Oxman of Shorewood, Janice Cmeyla of Tempe, Ariz., and Joel (Lori) Oxman of Encinitas, Calif.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home handled arrangements. Rabbi Steve Adams officiated at the funeral on Sept. 22. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery.
The family would appreciate memorial contributions to Zilber Family Hospice, 1155 Honey Creek Pkwy., Wauwatosa, WI, 53213.
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