Jack M. Feder in San Francisco on July 31, 2008 at age 83. Jack had a seven-year illness, Alzheimer’s disease, and was lovingly cared for by his devoted wife, Marjorie. Jack was a very loving father and grandfather and was deeply loved by his four children from his first marriage, John M. (Susan) Feder, Catherine (Richard) Janigian, Cynthia (Andrew) Friedman, Rabbi Daniel J. (Sandra) Feder and grandchildren Allie, Davey, Matthew, Dana, Jamie, Rachel, Abigail and Gabrielle. He is also survived by Marjorie’s family, Linda (Andy) Ach and Douglas (Ellen) Rosenberg and five granddaughters, Amanda, Sara, Liza, Julia and Lauren. He is also survived by his twin brother Allen Feder. He was the son of the late Jack and Bertha Feder.
According to Marjorie, Jack was a perfect husband. He was a kind and true gentleman with a good sense of humor and a winning smile. He was a lover of music, especially classical and operas. He played the timpani in a small band. He was an active swimmer, golfer, tennis player and loved boating.
A native San Franciscan, Jack graduated Lowell High School and U.C. Berkeley, where he earned his B.S. in engineering in 1945 and subsequently, served as an officer in the Navy in WWII and was sent to the South Pacific. After the war, he began a long and successful career in real estate. He was a member of the Concordia Argonaut and Congregation Emanu-El.
Helping him in the kindest manner were his caregivers to whom we are forever indebted, Milika Hiliau, Tevita and Sani, Melania Valle and Faye Leano. Our thanks to the expert help we received from the Jewish Home. Thanks also to the endless help from Donna Schempp at the Family Caregivers Alliance.
A memorial service was held at Congregation Emanu-El.
Donations may be made to the Fromm Institute at USF, 2130 Fulton St., S.F. 94117 or the Family Caregiver’s Alliance, c/o Donna Schempp, 180 Montgomery St., #1100, S.F. 94104. Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Ruth Leslie Ferziger died on July 31 after a short illness, with her loving family at her bedside. Born on July 12, 1962, Ruth lived a short, but vibrant life. She was born at Stanford Hospital and educated at Stanford University, earning both a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematical and Computational Sciences and a Master’s in Computer Science. She was a gifted software engineer and worked for more than 20 years at IBM, where she shared in the receipt of several patents for her work in technology and software development and was known for her skills in teaching others how to use complex technologies.
Ruth enjoyed numerous activities outside of her professional life. She was an enthusiastic SCUBA diver and traveled the world to experience the beauty of diving. She was also a singer and stage technician, lending both these skills at numerous productions for the Stanford Savoyards and West Bay Opera. She was an active volunteer, giving her time to the California Department of Forestry where she served as a logistics coordinator and spokesperson during numerous fires. Ruth also volunteered at several local access and public television stations and could be seen on KTEH providing homework assistance on the Santa Clara Country Office of Education’s Math Mentor program. Her skill in videography and interest in local television led to her post-IBM positions at KCAT in Los Gatos and her recent appointment as KSAR’s Station Manager.
Ruth was preceded in death by her younger sister Miriam Ferziger and her father Joel Ferziger. She leaves her mother Harriett Ferziger, her sister and brother-in-law Shoshanah and Collin Cohen, and her beloved niece and nephew, Meredie and Riley Cohen.
Services for Ruth were held at Congregation Kol Emeth, followed by burial at Hills of Eternity in Colma. Donations in Ruth’s memory may be made to the Joel Henry Ferziger Memorial Fellowship at the Stanford University School of Engineering or to the Miriam Judith Ferziger Performing Arts Collection at Congregation Kol Emeth, 4175 Manuela Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306-3703.
Robert Edwin Frank, 72, of Palo Alto, passed away the evening of July 30, 2008, after a lengthy and courageous struggle with illness. Born July 20, 1936, in the Netherlands, he immigrated with his family as a young boy, first to San Francisco, and then to Palo Alto.
He attended Palo Alto High School, Menlo College, the University of Southern California, and Golden Gate University Law School. After admission to the State Bar, he successfully practiced law in Redwood City and Menlo Park for some forty years. He was known as a wise counselor, and was well respected for his high ethical standards.
Bob was also known as a bon vivant, who enjoyed his many friends and the good life of the Bay Area. After military service, he was the pilot of his own plane and a member of the Civil Air Patrol. He was also a collector of vintage automobiles, a member of the Northern California Classic Car Club, and served as a judge and as Chief Judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Bob was also a member of the Woodside Mounted Patrol, the Palo Alto Elks Club, and the Sequoia Club of Redwood City. Having never married, he is survived by his sister, Vera Goldsmith, of Woodside, and her children. He is also survived by his group of faithful caregivers.
A memorial service was held on August 4, 2008 at Salem Memorial Park, Colma, under the auspices of Congregation Beth Israel Judea, San Francisco, of which Bob was a lifelong member.
An intelligent, caring and generous man, Bob will long be remembered by his countless friends.
B.J. Keith, Ph.D. (formerly known as Bruno Katz), passed away in his sleep in Kona, Hi on July 4th.
He was a native of Barntrup, Germany, a small town in eastern Westphalia, 40 miles west of Hannover.
His father, Max Katz was a soldier of the Kaiser’s Army for 6 years; his mother, Julie Katz, nee Gruenwald hailed from a small village Poemsen near Paderborn. (His mother and sister Leni, and sister Gertrud Eichmann perished in the Holocaust).
He graduated with honors from the Jewish Ober-real-school, then practiced as Educator in Hamburg. In 1939 he managed to get his little brother Eugene out of prison, forfeiting his own ship’s ticket to Shanghai. Bruno followed later and earned his living in Shanghai as a teacher.
After the war he made his way to San Francisco, where he though working as a janitor during the night managed to work toward and obtain his doctorate in History at the University of California at Berkley. After a stint of Superintendent of Schools in Idaho moved to Kona, Hi, where he finally reached his life’s ambition to direct his own school for Gifted children.
He is survived by his youngest (only surviving) brother Eugene and nephews.
Greta Winter, a long-time resident of San Francisco, died August 3, 2008, after a short bout with cancer, with her family at her bedside. She was 85.
Born in Vienna Austria in 1923 the daughter of Morris and Elsa Zuckerman she, along with her parents and one sister, Lucy, immigrated shortly after Kristallnacht to Shanghai via steamer, landing in Hong Kew in 1939.
She later met and married her husband Berek Winter, had a son Mordechai, and lived in Shanghai until shortly after the Revolution was declared in 1948. The family chose to leave China shortly thereafter.
Greta and Berek were in transit to Bolivia, via air, which was a long and arduous passage. Because of illness due to a pregnancy, the trip to Bolivia was fortuitously delayed in San Francisco. Ultimately the growing family remained in the United States, and after several years were naturalized as U.S. citizens. A daughter, Elsa, was born in 1949. A second daughter, Schirley was born in 1951.
In addition to always being a devoted and loving Mother and Grandmother, Greta together with Berek owned a family business, Golden Bear Sportswear, which after Berek’s death was her passion for the rest of her life. Greta was also an enthusiastic part-time resident of Glen Ellen Ca. where she thoroughly enjoyed visiting with her friends, children and grandchildren.
Berek died in 2000 at the age of 90, leaving Greta as the family’s matriarch.
Mrs. Winter is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Mordechai and Barbara Winter; her daughter and son-in-law Schirley and Naftali Zisman. Her daughter Elsa predeceased her.
Greta leaves behind six grandchildren; Dr. Jenifer Segal, Carine Salter, Isaac Zisman, Benjamin Zisman, Jacob Winter and Dariah Winter and two great-grandchildren, Ezra Segal and Nathan Segal.
Services were held on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at Hills of Eternity Cemetery in Colma under the direction of Sinai Memorial Chapel, San Francisco. Donations to the charity of your choice are preferred.