Sofia Levitas   

Passed away peacefully in San Francisco, on July 30th, at 82 years of age. She was a Holocaust survivor and cancer survivor. Predeceased by her husband, Mendelis Levitas, she is survived by her children, Boris Levitas and Raissa (Ron) Stephenson, and grandson Daniel Stephenson.

Services were held this week at Eternal Home Cemetery in Colma. Contributions may be made in her memory to the charity of your choice.

Dorthea Mayer

In Burlingame, August 1, 2009. Loving wife for over 60 years of the late Sylvan Mayer; beloved mother of William Mayer (Lynne) and Linda Duerson (Alan); devoted grandmother of Jaime Mayer, Michael Duerson (Tracee) and Lauren Duerson.

A native of San Francisco, born March 20, 1917. Graduate of Lowell High School, class of 1934. A resident of Burlingame for over 50 years, Dorthea enjoyed the last five years living at the Magnolia of Millbrae. Dorthea was active for many years in the Peninsula Hospital Auxiliary.

Private services are being held at the Hills of Eternity Memorial Park in Colma. In lieu of flowers memorials to your favorite charity are appreciated.

Theodore R. Seton, retired investment manager, died on August 1, 2009 at his home. His death resulted from various complications of advanced age. He was 89 years old.

Ted Seton was born into a well-known family in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He received a B.A. degree from Yale University in 1940. He enlisted in 1942 in the U.S. Army and was assigned to an anti-aircraft artillery regiment, and two months later, was shipped to England for his unit to be trained on the newly invented radar. He saw service for three years thereafter in combat zones from North Africa through Europe to Germany. In late 1945, he entered Columbia University Graduate School receiving his M.A. in Economics in 1947.

He then joined the Merrill Lynch training program and was subsequently assigned to their San Francisco office. In 1949, under the firm’s aegis, he produced the first public investment courses for women in the country. Their popularity soon resulted in their becoming the standard for numerous other brokerage firms.

In 1951, on a 14-month leave of absence, he attended summer courses at the University of Grenoble, France, and subsequently entered the London School of Economics for graduate studies. Upon returning, he was asked to remain in Merrill Lynch’s New York headquarters. In 1961, he and his then-wife, Edme, returned to San Francisco, where Seton served as a partner of Sutro & Co. for 10 years. He later founded his own investment management firm in 1974 and retired in 1993. He thereupon engaged in arbitration and mediation activities.

Throughout his years in San Francisco, Seton was active in a number of civic and Jewish community organizations. He was a longtime member of the Concordia-Argonaut club and was an enthusiastic tennis player and swimmer. Interested in a broad range of subjects, he described himself as “a dilettante with catholic tastes.”

Seton is survived by his wife Suzanne, whom he married in 1978, his son Joel of Jerusalem, Israel, and his daughter Laurie of Santa Fe, one sibling, numerous stepchildren, grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

There will be no funeral. Seton’s brain was sent to the Harvard Brain Tissue Study and his body to the University of California at San Francisco for medical research. There will be a memorial service some months from now — date to be announced. If so desired, contributions may be sent to an organization of your choice.

Louis Victor Spielman, born February 4, 1945, son of Dr. Aaron David Spielman and Minnie Claire Spielman, of New York City, died on July 29,2009.

Louis was a graduate of The Bronx High School of Science and attended Columbia College until he joined the United States Navy. He was a great patriot who served with distinction on the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. and the USS Fox as a Petty Officer Second Class during the Vietnam war.

Louis was Senior Systems Programmer with CSE Insurance for the past 26 years. He had a wide range of interests including reading history and literature, enjoying music, sailing, and, surprisingly, motorcycling as a young man.

He leaves behind his loving sister, Ellen Kushin, brother-in-law, Frank Kushin, step-niece, Diana Kushin Mandel and her husband, Ron Mandel, as well as many cousins from Boston to Hawaii, and many friends.

The family sincerely thanks all the wonderful healthcare professionals involved.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to: UCSF Foundation, POB 45339, San Francisco 94545-0339 and reference in memory of Louis Spielman.

A memorial service was held July 31 at Congregation Beth Jacob, Redwood City.