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Lawrence Z. Feigenbaum, M.D.

April 2, 1925 – February 2, 2013

Beloved husband of the late Marian L. Feigenbaum for 64 years; loving father (and father-in-law) of Paul Feigenbaum (Judy Kemeny), Robert (Ludy) Feigenbaum, and Ellen Feigenbaum (Peter Schwab); adoring grandfather of Sam and Susan Feigenbaum, and Zack and Jessie Feigenbaum Schwab; dear brother of Elliott “Ollie” (Laurel) Feigenbaum; wonderful uncle to many loving nieces and nephews.

Larry was born in Philadelphia to Sam and Jessie Feigenbaum; he moved to Los Angeles in 1934, and then to San Francisco in 1939, where he attended Galileo High School.  He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where he made life-long, dear friends as a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. Larry graduated from UCSF Medical School with honors, including membership in the Gold Headed Cane Society, and he did his internship and medical residency at UCSF and the VA Medical Center.  Following U.S. Army medical service at Fort Ord, CA, and then Korea, he completed a Fellowship in Cardiology, and entered practice in Internal Medicine and Cardiology in San Francisco.

Larry was the Founding Director of the Institute on Aging in San Francisco, where he was the Executive Director until his retirement.  He had a national reputation as a pioneer in the field of geriatric medicine. In the early 1970s, while Director of Ambulatory Services at Mount Zion Medical Center, he recognized the importance of providing assistance to older adults so they could continue to live independently at home. He was instrumental in establishing the nation’s first adult day health center in a teaching hospital and in convincing the state legislature to allow Medi-Cal payments to cover this service.  He influenced the design and establishment of numerous health and social services that have benefited older adults throughout San Francisco.

Larry had a special interest in training students and health care professionals in geriatric medicine as Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF.  In 1978, he established the first Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine in the western United States. In 1979, in recognition of his accomplishments, UCSF appointed Larry as Associate Dean for Inter-institutional Programs. Over the years, Larry influenced the education of hundreds of UCSF students and the training of physicians to be specialists in geriatric medicine.  He was the author of the first chapter on geriatric medicine in one of the major medical texts, and he published numerous medical journal articles.

Larry was not only highly respected for his professional achievements, but he was also loved and adored by everyone whose life he touched. His warmth, compassion, humor, and kindness enriched the lives of his many patients, colleagues, students, friends, and family, all of whom will miss him immeasurably.

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, February 10, 2013, at 3:00 PM at Sinai Memorial Chapel, 1501 Divisadero St. at Geary, San Francisco. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Institute on Aging, 3575 Geary Blvd., SF, CA  94118.

Sinai Memorial Chapel

Pearl Miller

Pearl Miller died peacefully in Walnut Creek on February 1, following a short illness. She was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on January 11, 1920, the third of four children born to Gussie (Greenberg) and Samuel Hirtenstein. Pearl met the love of her life, Henry Joseph Miller, shortly after graduating from high school. They were married in December 1941, and moved to California, where Marine First Lieutenant Miller was stationed during World War II, when not serving in the South Pacific. After the war, the couple lived in San Francisco before moving to Palo Alto in 1948. Henry died unexpectedly at the age of 43, leaving Pearl with two young children. Until 2004, she remained in the Palo Alto area, where she owned a successful clothing business, the Merry-Go-Round, for 38 years.

Pearl’s social life in Palo Alto was consumed by her family, her friends, her clients, and her bridge and mahjong games. After a move to the Rossmoor retirement community in Walnut Creek, she found many more friends who were very dear to her in her final years.

Pearl is survived by her daughter Frances Cahn (Robert Cahn), son William Miller, grandchildren Deborah Cahn-Weiner (Daniel Weiner), Sarah Handelsman (Michael Handelsman), Taylor Miller, and great-grandchildren Zachary Weiner, Jakob Weiner, Mina Handelsman, and Eve Handelsman.

Pearl will be greatly missed by all who knew her kindness, generosity, and energy. She was beloved for her outgoing personality, thoughtfulness to her family and friends, and her exquisite sense of style.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (ccfa.org) or to the charity of your choice.

Catherine Meyerson (nee Brown) passed away on January 31st, at age 53. A Bay Area native, Cate and her husband of 23 years, Howard (Howie) Meyerson, have two wonderful daughters, Dana, 15, and Naomi (Amy), 13. Cate established a career as a hospital pharmacist, most recently at Stanford. Cate enjoyed family vacations, reading Torah, and the family’s pet rats. She is survived by her beloved husband Howie, adoring daughters Dana and Amy, loving parents Tony and Judy Brown, and devoted sister Edith Brown. Funeral services were held Wednesday February 6th at Congregation Kol Emeth, followed by interment at Alta Mesa Cemetery in Palo Alto. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to Congregation Kol Emeth or the Behavioral Health Partial Stay Fund at El Camino Hospital Foundation.

Sinai Memorial Chapel

Richard Henry Selig, Jr., passed away January 31st, 2013, the day after his 73rd birthday.

Born in 1940 in San Francisco to parents Dorothy Jonas Selig and Richard Henry Selig, Sr., “Dickie” was a true San Francisco native, the Selig family dating back in San Francisco to the mid-1800s. Dick’s great great Grandfather, Moses Selig, was the first president of Temple Emanu El, and the Selig name is listed twice in the first San Francisco phone book, a one-page document. Dick and his brother Gary grew up in the Inner Richmond district. Dick attended Lowell High School and went on to be a very proud University of Oregon Duck. Dick returned to the Bay Area after graduation where he began a successful career as a stockbroker. Dick was a devoted father and grandfather and an active member of the Temple Emanu El congregation. He was a devout patron of the arts, including the SF Symphony, and the de Young, SF MOMA, and Jewish Museums. In his prime, he was an avid bicyclist. He also loved the Bay Area’s many wonderful restaurants. Formerly and for many years, Dick was dear husband to Melanie Sperling and to Lisa Cush.

Dick is survived by his brother Gary Selig (Candy), children David Selig (Eva), Katherine Picchietti (Peter), Michael Selig (Caroline), Kimberly Hishida (AJ), and Matthew Selig (Lindsay), and grandchildren Joshua Selig, Grant Selig, Louis Picchietti, Francesca Picchietti, Henry Selig, and William Hishida.