Obituaries, July 2021 | Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

Obituaries, July 2021

 

Dr. James Kevin Bahcall 

Dr. James Kevin Bahcall, D.M.D., died May 20, 2021. He was 60.  

Loving husband of Amy (nee Varon). Proud father of Allie and Jamie Bahcall. Dear brother of Steve (Kiersten) and Ken Bahcall, obm. Beloved son of Barbara Himes (Dr. Joseph Himes, obm) and Albert Bahcall, obm. Adored son-in-law of Esther and Albert Varon, obm. 

Survived by many dear relatives and lifelong friends. He was an outstanding downhill skier and loved shooting basketball hoops with friends.  

Jim is remembered as dear friend, professor and colleague who held his family close to his heart. He was an endodontist and entrepreneur who had a love of research and a passion for education. He graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison and Tufts University Dental School. He also obtained a master’s degree in endodontics from Marquette University.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the NorthShore Brain Tumor Fund, NorthShore.org; the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, LLS.org; or the American Cancer Society, Cancer.org. 

A private graveside service was held May 24, 2021, at Shalom Memorial Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  

Joan Berman  

Joan Berman died on May 27, 2021, age 82 years.   

Beloved wife of Jerold Berman.  Loving mother of Joel (Shari) Berman and Jeffrey (Irene Rogers) Berman.  Cherished grandmother of Talia (Dylan Golden) Berman, Elan (Kendra Johnson) Berman and Ayden Berman and Ruby Berman.  Fond sister-in-law of Judy (Al) Cohl, Jerome (Jane) Berman and Neil (the late Sarah) Berman.  Further survived by dear cousins:  Gary Mendelblatt, James (Sherri) Tolkan, Howard (Judy) Tolkan, Barbara Pasch and Susie Pasch as well as other relatives and friends. Graveside Funeral Services were held at Second Home Cemetery on Sunday, May 30, 2021.In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Ovation Jewish Home – Helen Bader Center, 1414 N. Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee, WI  53202. Heritage Funeral Homes assisted the family. 

Geraldine “Gerry” Pollack Biller  

Geraldine “Gerry” Pollack Biller died on May 14, 2021, peacefully at home. She leaves her husband, Joel, with love and grief in his heart; her daughter Sydney (partner Hana Mandlikova ) and Hana’s twins, Elli and Mark; son Andrew and his wife Karen Brehm Biller; and son Charles, his wife Lena Chumachenko and their son, Jordan. All with memories bright and cherished because Gerry, their wife, mother, and grandmother was such a positive and beloved part of their lives.  

Gerry’s brother, Don, died many years ago, but Don’s widow, Adrienne Rabinowitz Pollack-Sender, remained a sister to Gerry, and Adrienne’s husband, Neville Sender, became a new and cherished brother. There was a special bond between Gerry and her four nieces, Marjorie, Nancy, Linda, and Heather. They adored their Aunt Gerry. 

Gerry grew up in Whitefish Bay, went on to Northwestern University after receiving her B.A., married Joel and began twenty-five years of life of living around the world, in locations including France, South America, the Netherlands, and many more.  

During all the time spent away, Gerry remembered her family and friends in Milwaukee and was delighted when the family returned to Milwaukee permanently. After establishing a home (for the fourteenth time), she went back to school herself. She received a master’s degree in fine art from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and went to work for the Milwaukee Art Museum.  

She volunteered at the old Mt. Sinai Hospital and was active in the Women’s Division of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. She served on the board of Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun. She was especially devoted to Jewish Family Services.  

Joel and the children are devastated by Gerry’s death. They loved her and know that their lives will be grayer and more empty without her. Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home assisted the family. Contributions in Gerry’s memory can be made to Jewish Family Services. 

Adele Borouchoff

Harry Friedman 

Harry Friedman died on May 16, 2021, at the age of 103. Beloved husband of the late Bertha Friedman (nee Altschuler). Cherished father of Diane (the late Fred) Loeb, Paul (dear companion of Janet Weaver) Friedman and the late Brian Friedman. Loving grandfather of Jana and Adam Loeb. Further survived by nieces, nephews, other loving relatives and dear friends. A graveside service was held at Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison. Goodman-Bensman Whitefish Bay Funeral Home assisted the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions made to Beth Israel Center of Madison or Agudas Achim Chabad of Mequon appreciated. 

Gladys Shukur 

Gladys Shukur died peacefully in her home on May 22, 2021, two months short of her 91st birthday. Her children, Sally Frank, Peggy Shukur and Kevin Shukur, and her eldest grandchild, Daniel Frank, were at her side in her final days and in keeping with the traditions she embraced, joined her in welcoming her final Shabbat. In addition to her children and Dan, she is survived by two sons-in-law, Bob Ruxin and Michael Frank, a daughter-in-law, Janice Shukur, grandchildren Scoop (Tally Erickson), Aliana and Talia Ruxin, Adam Frank (Alyssa Frank), Rachel Wininger (Jason Wininger) and Zachary Shukur. She was the proud great-grandmother of Jim Wininger, born March 8, 2021, and named in memory of her late husband, Jim Shukur. 

Gladys was one of six children born to Frank and Mazli Iny in Belgium. As the Nazis invaded Belgium, her father miraculously spirited six children aged 10 and younger out of the country to Marseille, France, where they secured passage on a ship to Syria. From there they made their way to their native Baghdad where they lived until world events interceded in the late 1940s forcing her family to again flee their home. She returned to Belgium for a short time while her parents settled in New York where she joined them, attended college briefly and then was introduced to Jim Shukur, whom she married in 1951. As newlyweds, they lived in Milwaukee, then in New Jersey and then back to Milwaukee in 1965.  

Goodman-Bensman assisted the family. Those who wish to commemorate Gladys’ tireless devotion to doing for others, and her special love for and connection to young children, may donate to Jewish Beginnings, where she was the beloved “Morah Gladys” for many years, 6401 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53217 or JewishBeginnings.org. 

Dorothy (Gahr) Schwartz 

Dorothy (Gahr) Schwartz, aka “Svthrt,” went to bother Bill, her late husband, on  June 7, 2021. 

Dorothy was born in Chicago on Dec. 31, 1923, to Ben and Clara (Ackerman) Gahr.  Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Ben and Clara; her brother, Norton Gahr; her daughter, Marlene Schwartz; and William “Bill,” her doting husband. New Year’s Eve will never be the same. The whole world celebrated her birthday every one of her 97 years. 

Dorothy is survived by sons, Howard (Sandy) Schwartz, and Larry Schwartz; and son-in law, Steve Weiss. 

Dorothy was proud of her grandchildren, Kara Schwartz (Jay Jensen), Alex (Samantha) Weiss, and Samantha (Matt) Klemm, and great-grandchildren, Frankie Klemm and Ruby Weiss. She was also proud of her extended family, Ellie Weiss and her daughter, Abby. Dorothy adopted a great friend, and caretaker, in her last few years: Mary Bond and her husband, Barney. Without the two of them, our lives would have been hell. 

In her younger days, Dorothy was involved in B’nai Brith, Hadassah, weekly mahjong games, and was known to bowl once in a while in the B’nai Brith Women’s League. Dorothy and Bill traveled more than most of the family ever thought they would. As long as there was a casino nearby, Bill would drag Dorothy anywhere in the world: France, Italy, Africa, England, Monaco and, of course, their beloved Las Vegas. Dorothy was not fond of gambling, but she was fond of the jewelry she always managed to bring home. 

Dorothy was not fond of cooking, not because she didn’t know her way around the kitchen, but because she always had to make Bill’s favorites – “plain and bland!” Two of her specialties, potato salad and dill pickles, were loved by all  – everybody wanted her recipes.