Jewish Life Milestones Deaths Facebook Twitter Email SMS WhatsApp Share By J. Correspondent | June 19, 2015 Sign up for Weekday J and get the latest on what's happening in the Jewish Bay Area. Melvin Stuart Bacher June 5, 1934 – June 7, 2015 Melvin Stuart Bacher, 81, died peacefully, Sunday, June 7, 2015 in Walnut Creek following a 16-plus-year fight with Parkinson’s disease. He leaves behind his wife of 50 years, Barbara Jacobson Bacher; his daughters, Anne and Elizabeth; his son, Michael (Cynde) Bacher; his two grandchildren, Emily and Alex; and his brother Alan (C.C) Bacher. Mel was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Brooklyn Tech High School and FIT. After two years in the Army, serving in Wurzburg, Germany, he began a career in the apparel industry. He moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1961 where he would meet his future wife, Barbie, and they would start their family. In 1975, the Bacher family moved to Walnut Creek when Mel took a job with Levi Strauss in San Francisco. Five years later, in the early ’80s, Mel moved into financial services beginning a 19-year career with Dean Witter, later Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. He retired in 1999. His passions included time with family and friends; honing his skills on the racquetball court, the golf course and in art classes; traveling the world with Barbie, family and friends; serving in Walnut Creek Rotary, where he was president from 1989-1990; and capturing slices of life while holding a sketchpad. Services were held June 12 at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, California, followed by burial at Gan Shalom in Briones, California. Donations in Mel’s memory can be made to the Mel Bacher Family Fund at the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation (www.nwpf.org or 400 Mercer St., Suite 502, Seattle, WA 98109) or to Temple Isaiah (www.temple-isaiah.org or 945 Risa Road, Lafayette, CA 94549). Sinai Memorial Chapel (925) 962-3636 Alfred Edelman December 14, 1919 – June 9, 2015 Born to Bertha and Aron Edelman in Vienna Austria. Alfred as a young child immigrated with his parents to the United States and grew up in Little Ferry, New Jersey. Alfred enlisted in the U.S. Army during WWII and was stationed in San Francisco. It was there at a dance at the Jewish Community Center he met the one and only love of his life, Rosie Hamer (deceased). They were married in 1945 and had two wonderful children: their son Brent (deceased) and daughter Marsha. Alfred had found his career and passion working for 30 years as a produce manager for Safeway. He enjoyed local sports, especially baseball. Alfred could always be found with a ticket to the local Giants games even when they were hard to get. Alfred was also an avid poker player. After he retired from Safeway, Alfred enjoyed cruising and visiting many new places with his family. Alfred leaves behind his sister Alva Glaser of Little Ferry, New Jersey, and sister-in-law Esther (the late Jack) Friedman of San Francisco. His sister Rose Wilson preceded him in death as well as sister-in-law Anne (Irving) Rubinchik and brothers-in-law Alfons Glaser and Charles Hamer. Alfred is survived by his daughter Marsha, son-in-law Howard Cohen, and his two grandchildren, Rebecca Cohen and Aaron Edelman. He leaves behind and will be truly missed by his many nieces, nephews and cousins. Services were held at Salem Memorial Park. We would like to thank the Jewish Home and VITAS Hospice Care for their caring and compassionate staffs. Contributions may be made to the Jewish Home of San Francisco or VITAS in his memory. Sinai Memorial Chapel (415) 921-3636 J. Correspondent Also On J. Politics Jewish Trump supporters object to prediction of Israel's demise Bay Area Anti-Israel groups say S.F. schools canceled antisemitism training Bay Area Social media influencer Hen Mazzig to speak at S.F.'s Emanu-El Off the Shelf Mother and motherland are abandoned in Israeli novel Subscribe to our Newsletter I would like to receive the following newsletters: Weekday J From Our Sponsors (helps fund our journalism) Your Sunday J Holiday Bytes