Miriam (Cohen) Pfeifer, 78, of Longmeadow, Mass., and Boynton Beach, Fla., died Sunday, Jan. 6 in Florida due to complications from an automobile accident. She was born in Springfield, Mass., the daughter of the late Abraham and Minnie Cohen, and was a life long resident of the Springfield and Longmeadow area. Miriam was a graduate of the former Classical High School and attended American International College.
She was the co-founder, with her parents, of the former Gay-Lee Apparel, which she owned and ran for 27 years. She was a member and past president of ORT, a member of Hadassah, Temple Beth El, Twin Hills Country Club and Indian Springs Country Club.
Miriam was predeceased by her husband Jerome “Jerry” Pfeifer, who died in 2003. She will be sorely missed by her children, Lee Pfeifer of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; Gail (Steve) Karp of Hillsborough, Calif.; and Janis (Carmin) Lattell of Longmeadow. She also leaves her beloved grandchildren Alex and Jonathan Lattell of Longmeadow, and Benjamin, Jacob and William Karp of Hillsborough.
The funeral was held Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 11 a.m. at Temple Beth El with burial in Beth El Cemetery in Longmeadow. The Ascher-Zimmerman Funeral Home is assisting the family. Shiva was held at 96 Bel Air Drive, Longmeadow on Wed., Thurs. and Sat. with evening services Wed. and Thurs. evenings. Memorial contributions may be made to Jerome and Miriam Pfeifer Scholarship Fund c/o Temple Beth El, 979 Dickinson St., Springfield MA 01108 or Temple Beth El, 979 Dickinson St., Springfield, MA 01108.
Ronald A. Rosenberg passed away peacefully at home in San Mateo, CA after a long and heroic battle with prostate cancer on Jan. 6, 2008 surrounded by his loving family. Ron is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Grace, son Randy (Bessie), daughter Patricia (Scott), grandchildren Jacob and Rachael, father Theodore (Rose), sister Joyce, brother Jerold (Phyllis) and adored nieces and nephews. Ron leaves behind numerous family and friends, all who supported him through his illness.
Ron worked for many years alongside his stepfather David Lynn in the insurance business, earning, for three consecutive ears, the “Man of the Year” award for being the top salesman in the United States. Subsequently, until his retirement, he worked alongside his father, Theodore Rosenberg, in the real estate business as a Certified Property Manager.
Ron was a member of Lake Merced Gold Club where he spent countless hours playing his favorite games of gold and gin rummy. He was a life long member of Temple Beth Jacob, Redwood City and past President of Columbia Park Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco.
Funeral Services will be held at Temple Beth Jacob, 1550 Alameda de las Pulgas, Redwood City, Calif. on Jan. 9, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. Entombment will follow at Hills of Eternity Memorial Park , Colma. Charitable donation can be made to benefit the research of Ron’s caring oncologist, Dr. Charles Ryan c/o Comprehensive Cancer Center UCSF Foundation, 44 Montgomery St., Suite 2200, San Francisco CA 94104 or Temple Beth Jacob.
Margaret “Maggie” Deanne Sontag, age 59, beloved wife of Ann Murphy and mother of Heidi, Todd, Marshall, and Adrienne, suffered a brain aneurysm Dec. 29 and never regained consciousness.
Maggie radiated joy and abundance and shared her love of life, people and celebrations with friends and family. Her bright, sparkling smile could illuminate the darkest room and her infectious and vibrant laughter made those around her feel instantly cared for and included. As the Catering and Lifecycle Manager at Congregation Beth El in Berkeley, Maggie delighted in building community, feeding and caring for people and making their celebrations special.
Before joining the Beth El family in 2001, Maggie worked for Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco and the Union for Reform Judaism. Her career in program management and catering was a perfect match for her talents, offering her the chance to provide people of all ages with celebrations that best reflected their own lives, nourishing their bodies as well as their souls.
Maggie’s generous spirit permeated her life outside of work as well. Maggie never hesitated to open her home and welcome people in, making everyone feel like part of her family and seeing the beauty in everyone around her. Born in Brooklyn, Maggie grew up in Long Island, and lived in Texas and Florida before moving to California in 1997, where she met and married Murphy. Her children were her best friends, and she always had the right answer — or the right recipe — for anything they might need.
She is survived by her life partner Murphy, her children Heidi and David, Todd and Monica, Marshall and Brittany and Adrienne, and will be missed by her first grandchild, expected in August. She also is missed dearly by her sisters Madeleine and Louise, and dear friends in California, Texas, Florida and New York.
Donations in Maggie’s memory can be made to Congregation Beth El at 1301 Oxford St., Berkeley CA 94709. For further information, or to send a message to the family, contact Mandel Funeral Services of Northern California at (866) 962-6335 or www.mandelfuneralservices.com.