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Obituaries are supported by a generous grant from Sinai Memorial Chapel.

Deborah Dorosin

May 7, 1936–Aug. 11, 2024

Deborah Dorosin passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, Aug. 11, 2024, surrounded by family. She will be remembered as a lover of opera, nature, horses and good fiction — and as the woman who made the best blackberry jam in the state of California. She was a dedicated Sierra Club hike leader, a beloved birthday poet, a lifelong progressive, and a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Born Deborah Kopelov on May 7, 1936, in Kokomo, Indiana, her earliest memories were of riding horses and playing catch with her loyal dog Pete. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in speech therapy and came out to San Francisco to teach in the Oakland schools. She met her great love, Leon “Boody” Dorosin, through a friend, and the two married six months later at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley.

Debbie and Lee moved to Mill Valley in 1960 and stayed for the rest of their lives, raising two daughters (Leslie and Elizabeth) and hiking every trail on Mount Tamalpais. The pair were longtime members of Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael and enjoyed travel adventures in Europe, Vietnam, Israel, Cuba, Egypt and Latin America.

After Lee passed away, Debbie formed a lasting relationship with Ike Silberman, who gave her much happiness until his death in 2022. Deborah Dorosin had a long and happy life and would want to make sure we all remember to vote for Kamala Harris in November.

Her memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 20 at Rodef Sholom, 170 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. Donations in her memory may be made to the Sierra Club at sierraclub.org or to Jewish Family and Children’s Services at jfcs.org.

Barbara Lynn Teman Frank

Sept. 9, 1936–Aug. 30, 2024

Barbara Lynn Teman Frank, a longtime resident of San Jose, California, passed away on Aug. 30. Barbara was born in Canton, Ohio, to Bernice and Hy Teman. Following job opportunities, her family relocated to Los Angeles, where Barbara graduated from Fairfax High School in 1954. She graduated in 1958 from UC Berkeley, where she met the love of her life, Alvin Frank, who was a student at Boalt Law School. Al was offered a job as an attorney in San Jose, and they had no intention of staying! But their only son, Dale, was born in 1958, and the newlyweds started to meet other young couples. Soon the gregarious couple made lifelong friends. Once Barbara and Al were your friends, they were your friends for life! They joined Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Sinai, and were also deeply involved in Jewish community organizations and the Jewish Federation, both assuming leadership positions in many of these organizations.

Barbara was also passionate about the Democratic Party and civil rights. One of her projects in the 1960s was called “Dolls for Democracy and Diversity.” These dolls were in the figures of such luminaries as Jonas Salk, Jackie Robinson, Albert Schweitzer and Florence Nightingale. Barbara would bring the dolls into schools, where she delivered speeches to the students about the importance of these key figures in history. Barbara was a person who was passionate about equality. She lived by the principle of treating everyone with respect: from the person who cleaned your house and picked up your garbage to ambassadors and senators with whom she had the privilege to meet in her lifetime.

During the 1960s and 1970s, when the plight of Soviet Jewry became known to the larger Jewish community, Barbara became a singlehanded “Jewish Family Service.” There was nothing approaching the infrastructure that we have today. In the 1960s, she attended protests and demonstrations to bring attention to this critical cause. In the 1970s, when Jews were finally allowed to immigrate from the Former Soviet Union, it was Barbara who was instrumental in finding them all homes, jobs and cars here in the Silicon Valley, even arranging their medical care and appointments at the DMV. The phone rang for her at all hours of the day and night. She never settled for anything less than the best for her families, and was tireless in her work to welcome and settle them all.

Barbara was a person who never met a challenge that she could not conquer nor a problem she could not solve. She applied this ability in all aspects of her life: as a daughter, a mother, a grandmother, and a friend.

Barbara was an artistic person who had collections of many beautiful artifacts and works of art, and she herself was also a creator of multiple crafts. Among her many different designs were needlepoint pillows, portraits, bookmarks, kippot and Judaica of all types. She also made intricate floral pieces with tiny beadwork that rivaled museum pieces. Her garden was something else that she loved, and roses were among her favorite flowers.

In 1978, their son, Dale, made aliyah to Israel. As devoted parents, they quickly made sure to purchase an apartment there to be close to him and his growing family. It is estimated that Barbara traveled to Israel over 100 times in her life! Due to her resilience and desire to travel, “Savti,” as they called her, built an extraordinary relationship with her three grandsons and six great-grandchildren despite the miles and oceans that separated them. They were all deeply connected to her throughout their lives. This was all part of her ability to live life fully and with joy!

In 2000, Barbara became a widow, but despite her deep love for Al, she didn’t let his death derail her zest for life. She even reconnected with an old flame, Steve Zeman, with whom she had been engaged to marry before she met Al! They enjoyed almost a decade together after she was widowed before his passing in 2012. After Steve, Barbara enjoyed JDate! She was not one to sit around and feel sorry for herself.

Barbara is survived by her devoted son, Dale (Meira), her three beloved grandsons: Noam (Anna), Barak (Orit) and Hovav (Ayelet), and her six dear great-grandchildren: Yuval, Zohar, Alma, Oz, Roie, and Gaia. In addition to immediate family, Barbara will be deeply missed by her large extended family with whom she undertook to build a complex family tree years ago, and her many lifelong friends of all ages. Services and shiva have been held. Donations may be made to Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley. The support of friends and family during this difficult time has been deeply appreciated.

David Lawrence Skolnick

David Lawrence Skolnick died on Sept. 13, mourned by Marilee Morris, his wife of 40 years, his family, and a lifetime of greatly valued friends. Smart, funny, keenly observant with unbounded curiosity, David leaves behind a path that will remain bright within us.

David was a proud alumnus of the 224th class of Central High School in Philadelphia. Over decades of graduate-level teaching; partnership in Peterson Skolnick and Dodge in San Francisco; and dedicated community service, David touched countless lives, always respectfully and bringing laughter into the room. He pioneered HIV/AIDS’ communications when that disease was little known and, by enlisting prisoner talents, innovated the use of video for prisoner orientations. He spearheaded wide-ranging internal and external communications campaigns for corporations, universities and museums, among many other institutions.

David’s family is profoundly grateful for the skill and compassionate oncological care he received at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Gary M. Verbin

Aug. 13, 1936–Sept. 6, 2024

Gary M. Verbin, age 88, of Foster City, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 6, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. A devoted and beloved father, grandfather, and friend to many, Gary will be fondly remembered for his kindness, sweet nature, and his unwavering passion for the San Francisco Giants, 49ers, and Golden State Warriors. A proud alumnus and dedicated supporter of San Jose State University, Gary began his career as a young sportscaster in radio before transitioning to a successful 57-year career in insurance and financial services.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 61 years, Abby, who passed away in 2020. Gary is survived by his children, Cory Verbin (Cindy Elsbree) and Lainee Engel (Leonard Engel), as well as his grandchildren, Jeremy, Nikolas, Benjamin, and Noah. He will also be missed by his loyal dachshund, Trixie.

A memorial service to honor Gary’s life was held on Sept. 15. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA.