Joe Farkas

Joe Farkas, 90 years of age, passed away Thursday, Nov. 25 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Helen Farkas; their daughter, Amber; their granddaughter Kailei; his brother, Sol; and his two sisters, Rose and Lili.

Born and raised in Satu-Mare, Romania, Joe learned the shoe trade and quickly became a renowned soccer player. However, in 1942 as the war marched on, he was drafted into the Hungarian army into forced labor, and his family was moved to the Jewish ghetto, and subsequently to German concentration camps. His parents, Louis and Channa, perished in Auschwitz with millions of other Jews. During his time as a slave laborer for the Hungarians, Joe was lucky to be assigned a job as a cook in the kitchen; he was always able to eat, as well as provide a little extra to the other prisoners who needed it.

After the war Joe returned home to Romania in hopes of reuniting with his family and his fiancé, Helen. Month after month, survivors returned home, bringing with them stories of the horrors they witnessed, reporting who had perished, and who they thought might still be alive. One fateful day in 1945, Helen returned home, and she and Joe married shortly thereafter.

Joe continued to play soccer and started a shoe store in Satu-Mare, but in 1947 the Russians began to invade and the Iron Curtain dropped on Eastern Europe. Joe and Helen knew they had to escape to America, and in 1949 they abandoned all their worldly possessions and fled to the United States with his brother Morris and his family.

Once in the United States, Joe and his brother Morris started a shoe business, which flourished and allowed them to bring other members of the family over to the U.S., and give them jobs once they got here. Joe took pride in his business and his family, and by the time he retired, the family owned three shoe stores in the Bay Area.

Retirement, however, didn’t slow him down and Joe was vigilant in caring for his family. He was always happy to pick up anyone who needed a ride, he diligently cared for those who were sick, and sat by the bedside of his brothers who passed away before him. His generosity of spirit lives on in all the people he helped over the years, through the people he brought to America, provided loans to, employed, and put through school.

Even in old age, after Alzheimer’s had taken most of his memories, Joe’s personality was still able to shine through. He was a happy man, always trying to make a joke, smiling, laughing and playing tricks on the unwary. The family and friends he left behind will always remember Joe as he was: unfailingly generous, warm, kind and devoted to everyone in his life.

 

Steven Marc Glick

Steven Glick, 63, passed away after a yearlong battle with brain cancer on, Nov. 25, 2010 at home with his family in Burlingame, CA.

Steven was born June 28, 1947, in Los Angeles to Benjamin and the late Shirlee Glick. He moved to the Bay Area with his wife Sue Glick in 1974.

Steven graduated from Hamilton High School in 1965 and from U.C. Berkeley and Georgetown Law School. He was a member of the Burlingame School Board for eight years, and for the last 15, served as the Dean of the Downtown Campus, School of Business, and Contract Education at City College of San Francisco. Steven’s interests included family, traveling, music, singing and the Broadway stage.

Steven is survived by his wife of 36 years Sue Glick; two daughters, Shana and Andrea Glick; father and stepmother, Benjamin (Reva) Glick; two brothers, Barry (Kim Fritschi) Glick, Richard (Barbara) Glick; three brother-in-laws, Leland Rudofsky, Gerard (Sheila) Rudofsky, Harley (Caryl) Rudofsky; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

“All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered. The point is to discover them.” — Galileo Galilei.

Funeral services were to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010 at Temple Beth El, 1700 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo, CA. Interment was to follow at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo.

Donations may be sent to the Steven Glick Business Collection at the Downtown Campus Library at City College of San Francisco; 88 4th St., S.F., CA 94103.

Ruby Goodman

Jan. 20, 1918–Nov. 28, 2010

She was the loving and devoted wife of the late Harold Goodman; cherished mother of Ron and Enid Goodman of San Francisco, Jerry and Linda Goodman of South Lake Tahoe, and Greg Goodman and Patty Long of Berkeley; adored grandmother of Raleigh and Michael Zwerin, Lauren and Brian Kaplan, Daniel Goodman, and Darcie and Ryan Collins; great grandmother of Max, Romy, Drew and Trevor; dear sister of Julie and Richard Harris and Marilyn and the late Bert Rude; sister-in-law of Fay and Mervyn Goodman and the late Edna and David Goodman.

Ruby was involved. She became president of PTA and helped improve the San Francisco school system, Cub Scout den mother, translated children’s books into Braille, strong supporter and activist for Soviet and American Jewry, active in the Jewish Welfare Federation and Israeli Bonds, and president of the San Francisco Chapter of Hadassah.

In addition to her philanthropic activities, Ruby enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling, continued education at the Fromm Institute, reading, symphony, ballet, opera and helping others.

Ruby’s funeral was held Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 at Home of Peace Cemetery, Colma, followed by interment at Salem Memorial Park.

Contributions in Ruby’s memory may be given to Hadassah San Francisco Chapter, 1715 Polk St., San Francisco, CA 94109-3616.

 

Gary Kalman

June 21, 1935–November 21, 2010

After a determined and courageous 13-year struggle against Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and complications, Gary succumbed on Nov. 21 while vacationing in his favorite Hawaii. The family and Gary’s many friends referred to him as “the comeback kid,” as he rebounded numerous times from grave illness, beating the odds with great fortitude.

Gary was born and raised in San Francisco, a graduate of Lowell High School. He proudly served with the United States Army in Korea, receiving an honorable discharge in 1960.

Gary had a tremendous work ethic, and found hard work to be his hobby as well as vocation. Gary’s first career was with his father Sam Kalman, in the surplus metals business. For many years, Gary traveled throughout Northern California and the Central Valley helping to grow the business. He changed careers in the mid-1970s, joining his partner, Frederic Smith, in developing a successful retail enterprise. They opened and operated the “Glass Pheasant” gift stores in the Sacramento area and in San Francisco, and for a time, the Crystal Fox in Carmel. Until their retirement in 2009, their stores had a loyal following of happy customers, collectors, artists and vendors, many of whom became close friends. Gary was a very outgoing, warm and engaging “host” to those who came through the doors of their stores.

Gary had many wonderful relationships, devoted to his partner Fred and his loving family members. He was close to his adored sister Lynne, relishing the role of protective older brother during childhood, and then growing together as adults, they were always good friends. Gary had been a very attentive son to his mother, Shirley, and to his beloved aunt and uncle, Dorothy and Lennie Unger, who had helped raise him. He was a cherished brother-in-law to Lynne’s husband, William Shilling, and beloved uncle to Leslie Shilling and Dana Shilling Rieger, her husband Steve, and their sons, David, J.D., Ari and Robinson.

At Gary’s request, no services are being held. To honor his memory, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, the SFSPCA or the Jewish Home of San Francisco.

 

William Kessler, M.D.

November 5, 1918–November 16, 2010

William “Bill” Kessler was the son of Morris and Mollee Kessler. Morris had been in the Russian Cavalry, and one day he just keep on riding past the border, eventually, in the 1920s and ’30s, establishing a candy store in the tough neighborhoods of Chicago’ south side. Bill grew up there and worked in his father’s store.

As a kid, Bill’s interests and abilities were many and varied: He was an Eagle Scout, an ice-skater on Lake Michigan, and, at 5-foot-5-inches, an all-city basketball player.

He was a violinist, and he carried his deep love and understanding of classical music throughout his lifetime.

He graduated from University of Illinois Medical School, and completed his residency at Cook County Hospital.

After a fun stint in the Army in Denver, he landed in Castro Valley, where he made his home for the rest of his life. His first office, as a family physician, was above Martinelli’s chicken farm on East 14th Street. He was a founding member of Eden Hospital, where, with the exception of his good friend Rod Palmer, he eventually delivered more babies than any other physician.

In February of 1950, Bill married the lovely Rowen Rebecca Kusnitt, daughter of Abraham and Lillian Kusnitt, at the Claremont Hotel, in Berkeley. They were rarely apart until her passing in October of 2006.

Bill loved world travel and he loved his job. He wistfully remembered while driving down Walnut Road to Eden Hospital, “how many times I drove this road in the middle of the night” to deliver a baby or help a patient.

My father was dedicated to our family, and particularly to our education. We will remain thankful throughout our lifetimes for his generosity and interest and attention. William Kessler is survived by his most wonderful grandchildren: Shay Lillian Levy, Sam Hudson Levy and Ted Carson Kessler; and by his children: Tracy Allyn Maguire and Paul Roger Maguire, Marla Jan Levy and Adam David Levy, Corby Samms Kessler, M.D., and Arlen Stacy Kessler and Diana Louise Trichilo, Ph.D.

 

Hermann Meyer, in San Francisco on Nov. 24, 2010 at age 88. Son of the late Abraham and Cilly Meyer; dearly beloved husband of Trude for 61 years; loving father of Fred (the late Terry) and Harry; adoring grandfather of David, Alisa and Michael; dear brother of Loni Wilk. Survived by nephews, a close extended family and friends.

Hermann was born in Hamburg, Germany and was a Holocaust survivor who fled to Shanghai, where he lived for nine years before coming to San Francisco. He was a member of the Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 for over 60 years.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010 at Eternal Home Cemetery Chapel, 1051 El Camino Real, Colma, CA. Donations to Congregations Beth Sholom or Chevra Thilim preferred.

Marcia Mildred Steiner

Marcia passed away peacefully on Nov. 5, 2010 at her home in Cameron Park, California with her husband Melvin, son Marty and daughter Paula by her side. She was 88 years old.

Marcia was born April 24, 1922 in Davenport, Iowa, the daughter of Max and Elizabeth Izove. She graduated from the University of Iowa in 1943 with majors in education and art. During the following three years she taught at an elementary school in a suburb of Chicago.

In March 1946, she married Mel, who had recently returned from WWII active service in Europe.

During the following years, Marcia and her family lived in Chicago, Iowa, the Los Angeles area, and, for many years, on the Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In the latter half of her 30 years as a public school systems educator, Marcia specialized in teaching EMR students in the Special Education departments.

In 1975, multiple sclerosis prevented Marcia from continuing as a schoolteacher, and in her retirement, she returned to her love of oil painting. She then joined and became an active member in art groups in Redwood City, San Carlos and Foster City.

In 2004, she and husband Mel moved to a retirement facility in Concord, and in 2009, to a similar facility in Cameron Park, both in California.

Marcia is survived by her husband of 64 years Mel, their two children, Marty Steiner and Paula Ellis (Don), grandson Jason Ellis, great granddaughter Jade Ellis, sister Lillian Trachtenbarg (Gene), nephew David Trachtenbarg and cousin Norma Sporn.

She was a loving wife, cherished mother and beloved sister who will be missed by all.

The family suggests any remembrances be given in her name to your choice of charity or hospice.