Obituaries are supported by a generous grant from Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Robert Nathan Cutler
Jan. 4, 1930–Dec. 29, 2024
Robert Nathan Cutler. Born Jan. 4, 1930, to Alex and Clara Cutler at Mt. Zion Hospital. Died Dec. 29, 2024, in Thousand Oaks, CA. Robert is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Eleanor Cutler (Holtz); son Michael Cutler; daughter Nancy Cutler Dye; grandchildren Alex, Hannah, and Morgan Dye; sister-in-law Arlene Leiber (Paul); niece Diane Goldberg (James, deceased); nephews Roger Colvin (Barbara), Mitchell Leiber, and David Leiber (Janina), and a host of great nieces, great nephews, and cousins. Robert was preceded in death by his sisters Helen Hirsch (Alex) and Marilyn Colvin (Leonard); nephew Steven Leiber (Leigh); and oldest, lifelong friends Jack Grossman and Lloyd Sankowich.
Robert grew up in San Francisco’s Richmond District, attended Lafayette Elementary, Presidio Junior High, and George Washington High School before earning his B.S. degree in Business at University of San Francisco.
Robert joined the Air National Guard during the Korean War and spent several months in basic training in Spokane, WA, achieving the rank of Corporal and an honorable discharge after his unit was disbanded without overseas deployment at the conflict’s conclusion.
Robert returned to his beloved San Francisco in 1954 and joined his father Alex in the commercial real estate business, earning the unofficial title of “The King of Geary Boulevard” for his many years of selling, leasing, and managing properties in the Richmond District. During his career, Robert served as Treasurer of the S.F. Real Estate Association and Director of the California Real Estate Association.
Robert spent 92 of his 94 years living in San Francisco and loved nothing more than taking family to dinner at a number of The City’s oldest and finest restaurants, like Harris Steakhouse. Robert was an enthusiastic, lifelong fan of the Giants, Warriors, and 49ers, and had season tickets to the Niner games for many years with his close friends from the service, from the time they played at Kezar Stadium through most of their run at Candlestick Park.
Robert met his beautiful wife Eleanor in the autumn of 1961, and they married at the Fairmont Hotel in the spring of 1962. They spent 60 years together in their beloved San Francisco, moving to Newbury Park in 2022 to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Robert’s name to the American Kidney Fund at give.kidneyfund.org
Barbara Myer Klein
Barbara Myer Klein passed peacefully on the morning of Dec. 10, 2024, Hebrew date 9 Kislev, 5785, at age 92. She will be interred in the Myer family plot at the Home of Peace cemetery in Colma, alongside her beloved husband of 43 years, Steve Klein, who passed away in the year 2000. The family will hold a memorial service in mid-January; details to follow.
She was born and raised in Berkeley, and she and her sister, Jean Myer Radford, were third-generation Californians. Their parents were Arthur “Pie” Myer (of Boy Scout Troop 17 at Congregation Emanu-El) and Ethel Levy Myer.
Barbara raised her family in Orinda, California. She was a graduate of Stanford, worked in the Contra Costa library system throughout her life, and co-founded a bookstore in Orinda. In addition to reading, she loved swimming daily and playing bridge. Creative and generous, she was a lifelong volunteer on many fronts. Barbara was devoted to extended family on both sides and kept in touch with them all, organizing great family reunions and adventures. She also loved hostessing, traveling and attending musical performances.
Barbara is survived by her three children: Sarah Rose, Ken Klein (Jennie), and Margo Eyon (Itzik), as well as two grandchildren in the U.S., Hannah and Stephen Klein, and three in Israel, Edan (Valery), Shaked (Yarden) and Kesem Eyon. She was also blessed with four great-grandchildren in Israel: Kedem Aharon, Raz Tuvya, Shachar Ami, and Lia Coral.
Barbara was close to her many nieces and nephews, all of whom have very special memories of her, as do a great number of other friends and individuals whom she sponsored and nurtured over the years.
Donations in Barbara’s memory may be given to Friends of the Orinda Library.
Dr. Marion Allen Koerper Blumberg
July 8, 1943–Dec. 18, 2024
Born July 8, 1943, in Washington D.C., the daughter of the late Robert Allen Koerper and Marion Rittenour Koerper. Marion passed away at home on Dec. 18, 2024, in San Francisco, the city she called home for 60 years.
The beloved wife of 51 years to Dr. Robert Blumberg; devoted mother of Dr. Marc Blumberg (Dr. Elizabeth Jensen-Blumberg) and Andrew Blumberg (Jessica Perez); loving grandmother of Joshua Blumberg and Tobias Blumberg; cherished sister of Jean (Robert Burke); cherished sister-in-law of Estelle Goldstein; and cherished Aunt of Emily Burke Henesey (John) and David Goldstein (Angela).
Marion received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University and her Medical Degree from the University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco (UCSF). She received her post-graduate training in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology at University of California, San Francisco.
Retired from University of California, San Francisco, after a 40-year career as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology. As a professor emerita of pediatric hematology at UCSF and founder of the UCSF Hemophilia Treatment Center, she helped shape the landscape of comprehensive care that we know today.
In 1978, she founded the Comprehensive Hemophilia Treatment Center at UCSF and a summer camp (Camp Hemotion) where children with bleeding disorders could enjoy an environment where medical care and childhood adventures could seamlessly coexist.
Her influence extended far beyond UCSF through her extensive collaboration with the National Hemophilia Foundation and the World Federation of Hemophilia, where she contributed to global initiatives improving care for people with bleeding disorders worldwide.
The bleeding disorders community recognized Dr. Koerper’s extraordinary contributions with numerous honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Hemophilia Foundation. During her professional career she contributed hundreds of articles on medical literature, many of which continue to influence the care of patients with bleeding disorders. A pioneering figure in hemophilia treatment, Dr. Koerper’s impact on the bleeding disorders community will be felt for many generations.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Dr. Koerper’s memory may be made to the Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California (HFNC) Camp Hemotion Scholarship Fund, ensuring that her legacy of providing care and support to children with hemophilia continues for generations to come.
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Bryna Naftaly
Feb. 17, 1928–Dec. 30, 2024
Bryna Naftaly, born in Somerville, Mass., but a lifelong resident of Oakland and San Francisco, passed away peacefully and comfortably on Dec. 30, less than two months shy of her 97th birthday.
Bryna Brill graduated from Oakland High where she was described as smart, sweet, selfless, swell and smitten with Stan, a shy, handsome, brilliant UC Berkeley honor student, with whom she’d lovingly spend every day until his death 68 years later in 2012.
A voracious reader, Bryna will be remembered for her buoyant personality, empathy, and appreciation of beauty, be it music, modern art, theatre, or savoring the serenity of the S.F. Arboretum, a feast of lush colorful landscapes.
Additionally, her life was marked by fearless conviction and a deep commitment to justice and community, standing up for the integration of S.F. public schools, boldly challenging a room filled with opposition to affirm the power of unity over division.
Whether advocating for better care for her aging parents or rallying to save a beloved nursery school in the wake of disaster, her actions embodied resilience and a relentless drive to protect those in need. Through every challenge, she stood tall as a beacon of courage and a voice for the voiceless.
But Bryna’s most remarkable super-power was fueled by her boundless curiosity and sense of wonder. She was blessed with an uncanny ability to lock into the feelings of others, without judgment, whether you were a friend, loved one, or a total stranger. She would share her insightful, transformative advice so effortlessly that you might not realize that you’d just been the recipient of magic.
Bryna is survived by her sons, Eric, Bruce (Sara) and Keith (Nathaniel Bisson), and grandson Sam, along with devoted nieces, nephews, cousins and caregivers. She was predeceased by her brother, David, and, of course, by her parents, Sarah and Samuel Brill.
Truly one of one, Bryna will be profoundly missed.
Memorial donations in Bryna’s name may be directed to the American Civil Liberties Union or Environmental Defense Fund.
Sinai Memorial | (415) 921-3636
Susan Ellen Rosenberg
June 20, 1942–Dec. 11, 2024
Susan Ellen Rosenberg, 82, of San Francisco, Calif., died surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, after a brief battle with cancer. She was preceded in death by her husband of sixty years, Edwin “Roddy” Rosenberg, and her brother, Jerome Miller, and is survived by her three children, David Rosenberg (Liz), Mark Rosenberg (Eileen) and Sandi Loftus (Jared), and six grandchildren, Ally and Jake Rosenberg, Chelsea and Liv Loftus, and Hannah and Zach Rosenberg.
Sue was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Martha and Sam Miller, on June 20, 1942. The family moved to San Francisco in 1955, settling in the Marina District. She attended Marina Middle School and Washington High School and was an active member of B’nai B’rith Girls, where she made many lifelong friendships. Sue met Roddy, the love of her life, when the two were just 15 years old, and they married on Dec. 15, 1962. Their union of sixty years was a testament to their love and devotion, and together they built a beautiful life centered on love of family and dear friends.
Sue was deeply dedicated to her Jewish community. She held leadership roles, including President of the Sisterhood of Congregation Sherith Israel, and was actively involved in the San Francisco Jewish Federation. Her volunteer efforts extended to Brandeis Day School, San Francisco Jewish Home for the Aged, temple gift shops and even serving as the beloved Girl Scout cookie mom for many years.
As a natural extension of her expertise as a travel agent with On the Road Again Travel in San Francisco, Sue loved to travel with Roddy and friends, creating unforgettable memories as they explored the world together. From climbing the Great Wall of China to embarking on an African safari and later discovering a love of cruising, there weren’t many places they didn’t visit. The two spent more than twenty summers on their boat at Tinsley Island with their St. Francis Yacht Club friends, bringing them joy and lasting connections.
Family was the cornerstone of Sue’s life. She and Roddy prioritized creating a welcoming home, moving later in life from the city to a large house with a pool in the East Bay so their family could gather and create cherished memories. Sue nurtured relationships across generations and maintained lasting friendships spanning more than fifty years from every chapter of her life.
Sue’s welcoming attitude knew no bounds; she opened her home not only to friends and family, but also to those who were far from their own, always a warm and gracious host. She was known for her honesty and candor which often led to loads of laughter and she never turned down a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or a Maker’s Mark Manhattan. Sue loved bringing people together for occasions filled with joy and love.
A memorial service was held at Beth Chaim Congregation in Danville, Calif., on Dec. 13. Contributions in Sue’s memory may be made to the Camp Newman Brotman Scholarship Fund at URJ Camp Newman.
Audra Weiss
Sept. 28, 1967–Dec. 31, 2024
Audra Weiss, 57, resident of Mill Valley, Calif., passed away on Dec. 31, 2024, with her husband and children by her side. The wife of Jim Weiss, and mother of Ethan (23) and Emily (20), Audra was a quiet yet powerful force who walked through life exuding grace, strength and class.
The matriarch and CEO of the Weiss family, Audra will be sorely missed by family, friends, neighbors and her community at large. She loved fiercely as a devoted Mama Bear, loyal friend and passionate advocate for those who suffered, especially those living with cancer. Born and raised in Coram, N.Y., Audra graduated from the Whitman School at Syracuse University and forged a career in healthcare communications. She met her husband Jim through a mutual friend and found they’d been living parallel lives. He also went to Syracuse, bled Orange and worked in the same field but they had never met. Like “When Harry Met Sally,” they built a strong friendship that led to an unbreakably strong marriage of nearly 25 years.
She knew from the get-go that she’d happily trade in her stellar professional career for a lifelong role of motherhood. She welcomed Ethan and Emily into the world and devoted herself to her calling.
Audra’s intellect and brilliance shined in the backdrop of Jim’s entrepreneurial quest to build a leading global communications firm. As an advisor and confidante, Audra made her mark on the business that would become Real Chemistry. To her, success was a vehicle to do good – giving back through the Weiss Family Office.
When she was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, she turned her journey into advocacy, crossing paths with the Dempsey Center and recently joining their board. She was a staunch ally who always demonstrated kindness, courage, integrity and care.
Even in the later stages of her disease she prioritized others, especially those who recently received a cancer diagnosis because in her words: “No one can do this alone.” Selfless to the end, Audra was committed to sharing her wisdom about the cancer journey and her vision for giving free holistic medical care to patients in need.
Audra will be remembered by her family, friends, colleagues and her Syracuse Color War crew as a brave warrior who believed in her bones that she could defy the odds. For two years, she did just that — kicking cancer’s ass — until her disease burden became too great.
She rests knowing her tribe won’t let her death be in vain. We’ll be vocal about the urgency of early cancer detection and diagnosis. We’ll advocate for treating it holistically, not just with pharmaceuticals but with wrap-around care that makes the journey a much better experience for patients and their families. We’ll be dedicated to gaining funding to support treatments at the intersection of Eastern and Western medicine. And above all, we’ll care for her beloved Ethan and Emily with the radically practical heart and soul she’d bring to each challenge and life milestone.
In addition to her husband and children, Audra is survived by her parents Ronni and Mark Nass and brother Eric Nass and his wife Lisa, her uncle and aunt Steve and Honey Schwartz, her brother-in-law Harry Weiss and sisters-in-law Beth Weiss and Cindy Weiss. She also leaves her furry longtime companion, Kona.
Services were held at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco. Donations in Audra’s memory can be made to the Dempsey Center, Family Reach, Hope Lodge and Cancer Research Institute.
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