Anne Simon
Our Annie passed away on Dec. 21, 2007 leaving behind her loving family and a large circle of friends. Born in Russia in 1921, she was smuggled out of the country in a small boat as an infant. When on the boat, Annie cried and the captain ordered her thrown overboard to protect the other passengers. The women on the boat surrounded her and hushed her cries, saving her life. Annie loved to tell this story at family gatherings.
Annie grew up in Cleveland. After moving to San Francisco in the 1950s and marrying the love of her life, Albert Simon, Annie became a real estate agent and remained active in the business for nearly 50 years. Working on West Portal Avenue and always at her desk in the window, Annie loved her job and made many lifelong connections through it. She had business acumen long before most women were part of the work force. She was brave and assertive and had a successful and satisfying career.
You always heard Annie before you saw her — she was full of positive energy and was a huge personality wherever she went. She was bold, decisive, smart and funny. Making her entrance with lots of commotion and laughter, Auntie Anne was known in the family as SUPERwoman.
Annie was an avid swimmer who swam and performed with the San Francisco Merionettes Synchronized Swim Team in the 1960s and was a regular presence at Larsen Pool. She loved mah jongg and any activity where she could be with people. She and Albert took vacations with his brothers, the late Morris and Nate Simon, and sisters-in-law Tedi and Tillie Simon. Albert predeceased Annie in 2002, and she pined for him for the last years of her life.
Annie is survived by her brother, Moysha Barnett; nieces Sue Barnett, Dee-Dee Sberlo, and the late Michelle Kern; nephew Yoel Sberlo; great-nieces and great-nephews Ronen, Tamar, Amir and Edan Sberlo, Noah and Maya Winshell, and Jason and Fred Kern; and son Mark Simon. Friends who will miss her include Dominic, Thea, Olga, Winifred and the rest of the “Parkside Park Syndicate.” The family is grateful to Sarai Gabriel and Angelina Lorenzo, who cared for Annie with love and compassion. Private graveside services were held. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) or the SPCA in Annie’s memory.
George Bilick in Fremont on Jan. 10 at 84 years of age. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Oct. 23, 1923. A numismatist for 40 years and an expert on rare coins. Past president of Temple B’nai Israel in Daly City. Husband of the late Mina Bilick for 43 years; loving father of Michael (Deborah), Stuart (Amanda) and Robert (Hiroko) Bilick; adoring grandfather of Brittney, Mia. Lindsey and Olivia; dear brother of Jack (Betty) Bilick; adoring companion of Trudy Salazar.
Services were held on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 1:30 p.m. at Hills of Eternity Cemetery, 1301 El Camino Real, Colma.
Evelyn Kossman, age 92 in Rockville, Md., on Dec. 29, 2007.
Beloved wife of the late Lawrence Kossman, loving mother of Isabel Lipner (Rabbi Pinchas), Rabbi Stephen Kossman (Leah) of Baltimore, Md., and Brenda Eisenberg of Silver Spring, Md., devoted grandmother of 10, great-grandmother of 25, aunt of 4 and beloved sister-in-law of Goldie Sussman.
Services were held in Saddle Brook, N.J., where she was beautifully eulogized by Rabbi Mordechai Rindenow of Clifton, N.J., her son Stephen, and her eldest grandson Sandy Eisenberg of White Plains, N.Y.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lisa Kampner Hebrew Academy, 645 14th Avenue San Francisco CA 94118.
Michael Lawrence, June 30, 1931-Jan. 11, 2008
Michael Lawrence passed away peacefully on Jan. 11 in Walnut Creek. Born in Czechoslovakia, he was a Holocaust survivor. After being liberated in 1945, he returned to Czechoslovakia and then moved to England, eventually emigrating to the U.S. in 1950 where he became a successful entrepreneur.
He will always be remembered for his distinctive voice and his ability to start a conversation with anyone, anywhere. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Sandie; his five children and his 13 grandchildren.
Donations in Michael’s memory can be made to: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, P.O. Box 90988, Washington, D.C. 20090-0988 or Yad Vashem, P.O. Box, Jerusalem, 91034 Israel. Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Julius Magid, known to his family and friends as Julie, was born in the Ukraine on Dec. 22, 1912. He arrived at Ellis Island on New Year’s Day in 1921.
He lived his younger years in Brooklyn, where he met and married Jeanne Fishman. In 1947, Julius and Jeanne moved to Berkeley where they devoted their lives to each other, raised their children and served their community.
Julius loved to drive, and not surprisingly, started out as a traveling salesman and continued to drive until he was 95. He had boundless energy and a zest for life that inspired others to follow his path. He was the eldest member of Congregation Beth Israel of Berkeley, where he and his close friend, Ernie Alexander, were famous for dancing with the Torah and bringing all of the members of the congregation closer together.
To all those who knew him, he was a generous, kind, honest, trustworthy and loving man. He truly enjoyed helping others, and he opened his heart and his home to all those who knocked on his door.
He is survived by his four children: Carol Brown, Martino Magid, Jason Magid and Rick Magid and his seven grandchildren: Kimberly Brown, David Brown, Nicole Yuen, Arica Smith, Ari Magid, Joel Magid, Ryan Magid, and Lily Delgado. Julius was also fortunate to have cherished and loved his 13 great-grandchildren!
Services were held on Monday, Jan. 14 at 11:00 a.m. at Congregation Beth Israel, 1630 Bancroft Way in Berkeley. For further information or to contact the family, please call Mandel Funeral Services of Northern California, (866) 962-6335 or www.MandelFuneralServices.com.
Jo An Markinson in South San Francisco on Jan. 8. Beloved wife and friend of Craig; loving mother of David and Robert Wolff; dear sister of Robert Pedrin.
Gravesite services were held at Eternal Home Cemetery, Colma.
Contributions to Congregation Adath Israel, 1851 Noriega St., San Francisco CA 94122 are preferred. Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Herman (Hy) Vinson in Menlo Park, Jan. 9. Beloved husband of the late Ann Vinson. Loving father of Michael Vinson (Tricia). Devoted grandfather of David and Lea Swift and Daniel and Ruth Vinson. Dear Uncle of Gale and Martin Stolzenberg, Jude and Allan Geller, Steven, David and Jeffrey Schulte and James Stein. A native of New York City, age 89.
Funeral Services were held at Home of Peace Cemetery, Colma. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.
Bea Pincus
Born in 1929, with the lyrical moniker of Bluma Jean Saperstein, in Bellingham, Wash., Bea Pincus died
surrounded by family and friends on a lovely Jan. 7
afternoon, in her bedroom in the Millbrae hills overlooking San Francisco Bay. We sang songs, laughed and cried as she gently slipped away.
Bea laughed easily and connected immediately with everyone she met, whether they were strangers at the next table or lifelong friends. She touched many with her warmth, generosity and joyful zest for life.
Her natural hospitality brought together family and friends, in the comfortable art-filled home she created, for decades of boisterous Thanksgiving feasts, garden weddings and parties of all sorts.
Bea was a gifted painter whose colorful abstract landscapes have made the world a more beautiful place. Her works have been included in numerous Bay Area exhibits, culminating in a 2006 solo retrospective, showcasing 50 years of creativity. She initiated the Peninsula Art Critique Group, which has nurtured her and other artists for 42 years. Her children placed a paintbrush in her hands so she can ‘paint up’ heaven when she gets there.
Bea was passionate about social justice and community service — passions she shared with her husband and passed on to her children. Recent volunteer work included Samaritan House Medical Clinic and Friends of the Millbrae Library. As cancer stole years from her life, she was more concerned about the world’s future than her own.
She dearly loved her devoted husband Mel, her far-flung children, Judy (Australia) and David (NYC), her close-knit family and friends, as well as nature, art, walking, KGO, KQED, martinis, Michael Feinstein, Broadway show tunes, bridge, Sudoku and her favorite S.F. restaurant, Park Chow. Even in the last difficult months, Bea enjoyed moments of great joy and laughter that her family will remember for the rest of their lives.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in honor of Bea to WorkShop Theater Company, 312 West 36th St., NY, NY 10018 (her son is the Managing Director), Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Center, 318 Leavenworth St., San Francisco CA 94102 or Friends of the Millbrae Library are welcome.
A memorial service was held on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2:30 p.m., at Peninsula Temple Sholom, 1655 Sebastian Drive, Burlingame.