Ralph Black
Beloved husband of Evelyn. Devoted father of Bill (Lenore Naxon) Black. Irreplaceable grandpa of Ilana Black. Dear brother of Goldine Elston and her family. Ralph was born in London, England, and came to America in 1929 with his mother and sister. He moved to San Francisco in 1930 and resided here ever since. A proud graduate of Washington High School, he served in the Merchant Marines in the Pacific Front during World War II. For half a century, Ralph was an award-winning, well-respected insurance agent for Prudential. He was an avid golfer and moviegoer. Ralph and Evelyn loved to travel and took long walks together. He was a member of SIRS and in retirement, enjoyed classes at CLIR. He lived a good life and left it peacefully after 88 years. A dear and loving man, he will be missed by a wide circle of friends and associates.
Memorial service Friday, August 10, 11 a.m. at the Concordia Argonaut Club, 1142 Van Ness at Post, San Francisco.
Donations preferred to the American Cancer Society, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco Maccabi, or Camp Tawonga.
Arthur Highman, Ph.D.
Aug. 5, 1915 – Aug. 4, 2012
In Palo Alto, one day shy of his 97th birthday. Beloved husband of the late Edith Arkoff Highman; loving father of Mark (Phyllis) Highman, Louis Highman (the late Shannon Maloney) and Bruce (Justine) Highman; adoring grandfather of Rachel (Matthew) Jones, and Daniel, Joshua, Alice and Molly Highman; cherished great-grandfather of Michaela and Aalia.
Business consultant, statistician, forensic economist, chemical engineer and inventor. Professor at University of Southern California and Santa Clara University. Author of books and articles. Avid reader and traveler.
Funeral services were held Monday, August 6, 2012 at Hills of Eternity Cemetery, Colma. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Jewish Community Federation or Hillel, the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life.
Sinai Memorial Chapel
Arnold Labson
Arnold Labson passed away peacefully at his home in Millbrae on Sunday, August 5. Born in Cleveland in 1919, he worked for United Airlines for over 40 years in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. He was predeceased in 1987 by his loving wife Dorothy. He is survived by his children, Dr. Victor Labson of Denver, Judge Beth Labson Freeman of Hillsborough and Dr. B. Steven Labson of Sydney, Australia; his grandchildren Laura and Scott Freeman and Eva and Daniel Labson; and his loving friend Sylvia Rubel. He was an original: intelligent, skillful with both hands and mind, occasionally stubborn, always ready to laugh, and unfailingly loyal.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 9 at Peninsula Temple Beth El, San Mateo.
Laura Mon 1925-2012
Died peacefully 7/31/12 among family and the loving nursing staff of the Sequoias.
A Holocaust survivor, she made deep abiding friendships with many people from all walks of life.
She is survived by sons David and Randy Mon; loving daughter-in-law Izumi Sakai; grandchildren Sara and Jesse Mon; David’s partner, Lisa Evens; nieces Melinda Abeles and Jennifer Stover; and nephews Richard, Timothy, and Jeffrey Goldsmith.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Sequoias Tomorrow Fund, 1400 Geary Blvd. S.F, CA 94109
Stanley B. Reich, MD
Feb. 20, 1921 – Aug. 6, 2012
A devoted husband, father, grandfather, friend and physician, Stanley Reich passed away peacefully on Aug. 6, 2012. He was born in New York City on Feb. 20, 1921 to Harry and Bessie Reich. At the age of 16, he attended Cornell University. He then earned his M.D. at New York University and completed his internship and residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City.
A brilliant and widely published scholar and medical educator, he loved his career and worked as a radiologist until the age of 88. He served as a physician in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He served as the Chair of Radiology at Mount Zion Hospital (San Francisco), General Rose Hospital (Denver) and the V.A. (Martinez). He was a professor of radiology at UCSF, University of Colorado, and U.C. Davis. He was a fellow of the American College of Radiology and a founding member of the Society of Thoracic Radiology.
Stanley also served as president of the Concordia Argonaut Club (San Francisco) and was a member of Temple Emanu-El since 1954.
He married Adele Axelrod, the love of his life, and they were rarely apart during their happy 67 years of marriage. Together, they traveled the world. Stanley was a mentor to his many residents and was always willing to lend an ear or give advice to all who sought him out.
He is survived by his wife, Adele; children Linda Reich and her husband, Jack Duncan; Judi Reich Goodfriend and her husband, Stanley Goodfriend; James Reich and Lynne Langlois; grandchildren Lauren Heiser Stangel and her husband, Greg Stangel, Julia Heiser, Scott Goodfriend and Jack Goodfriend.
The family wants to give our heartfelt thanks to Arnie Arenas, Francis Blanch and Chessic G. DeGuzanan for their devoted care.
Donations may made be to either Temple Emanu-El or to Jewish Family and Children’s Services.
Donald Harvey Seiler
Passed away peacefully August 3rd, 2012 at home, surrounded by his family. He was born December 16, 1928 and grew up in San Francisco. Don is survived by his loving family, wife, Ruthie, and children, daughter Carol Seiler Roberts, son Richard Seiler and his wife Susan. Devoted grandfather to Cory Roberts, Mark Roberts, Matt Seiler and Allie Seiler. Loving brother to Stuart Seiler and his wife, Gaye, and nephews (and nieces).
Don and his wife, Ruthie, met in college, at U.C. Berkeley, and shared a long loving marriage of nearly 62 years. Don’s success in his professional life is only surpassed by his love and devotion to his wife, Ruthie. They married in San Francisco in 1950. By 1960 they moved to the mid-peninsula, where they built their lives and raised a family. Ruthie was always by his side and was most important in their success in all aspects of their lives. They loved to travel together. He and Ruthie traveled far and wide through the years, many times with friends and family.
An avid sports fan, Don played tennis for years and like a true San Francisco native, was a big 49ers and Giants fan. Don was a devoted family man, a cherished friend and mentor. Donald was a remarkable man with an amazing career. He not only watched over his family, but also made extraordinary contributions to community. He was a compassionate, kind-hearted, generous and most honorable man.
Don, a San Francisco native, earned his BS in accounting and MBA from U.C. Berkeley, where he was also a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He spent time as an accountant in the 1950s before founding Seiler and Company (now Seiler, LLP), a pre-eminent regional accounting and advisory firm, in 1957. His professional board service included Ross Stores, Inc. from 1982 to 2012 and Greater Bay Bancorp, from 1985 to 2006.
For many years, Don was an active and dedicated volunteer in the Jewish community. During the 1960s, Don served on the North Peninsula Jewish Community Center’s board. He was on the board of Congregation Beth Am from 1966 to 1972, including time as president. At the Jewish Community Federation, Don, a board member since 1972, was both president and campaign chair. Since 2003, he was on the board of Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life. From 1986 to 1992, Don was on the board and executive committee of the Council of Jewish Federations; from 1984 to 1990, he was on the board of the Jewish Home for the Aged. He chaired the Jewish Community Endowment Fund from 1986 to 1989. He served on the boards of Mount Zion Hospital in San Francisco and United Jewish Community Centers.
Don’s volunteerism extended to education, medicine, and environmental causes. He established the Public Accounting Chair at U.C. Berkeley Haas School of Business in 1995, and was on its board from 2006 to 2009. From 1995 to 2005, Don was on the Peninsula Community Foundation’s board. At Stanford Medical Center, he served on the board from 1985 to 1995; he also founded and chaired the hospital’s Friends of Cardiovascular Medicine with his wife, Ruthie, from 1983 to 1988.
In 1989, Don was honored by the California Society of CPAs with the Public Service Award for California. He received the Robert Sinton Distinguished Leadership Award from the Jewish Community Federation in 2006 and was named 2004 Professional of the Year by the Jewish Community Endowment Fund.
Don was also an Avenidas Lifetimes of Achievement honoree in 2009. Don believed very deeply in giving back to the community. More importantly, he educated so many others to be philanthropic… He matched his love and purposefulness in the community with a love that fostered an ideal family.
These benevolent qualities clearly extended into Don’s business practices. On the home page of Seiler, LLP, the accounting firm he founded in 1957, Don is quoted as saying, “We serve people, not numbers.” He will be missed by all whose lives he touched.
With special thanks to his caregivers Mele Teu and Sola Taimani.
Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Donald’s life, which will be held on Sunday, August 12th, at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Don’s memory to your favorite charity.
Sinai Memorial Chapel