Ira F. Cohen in Alamo on March 26, 2009 at 73 years of age. A native of Troy, NY moving to Walnut Creek in 2005. Director of State and Local Taxes for Reynolds Metals for many years.
Loving husband of Marjorie for 49 years; devoted father of Alan (Molly) Cohen and Herb Cohen; dear brother of Edward Cohen. Adoring zayde of Jonathan, William and Benjamin Cohen.
Services were held were held under the direction of Sinai Memorial Chapel, Lafayette. Donations may be made to Contra Costa Jewish Day School.
Phyllis Sosnick Robbins, 73, died peacefully at home on March 19, after years of a courageous battle against deteriorating health.
Devoted wife of 52 years to Paul, loving mother to Shelley (Jeff), Laura, and Gregory. Proud grandmother of Nicole, Jordan, and Brian. She took great pride in her extended family, her brother Stephen (Gale) and sister Carole (Jack), and her many nieces and nephews.
Phyllis was born in San Francisco. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley, she spent her life in the East Bay. She was a thoughtful and generous advocate for the causes in which she believed. As matriarch of her family, her Thanksgivings were legendary and will not be forgotten.
The family wishes to thank Charlotte and Dottie Tuipulotu for the love and devotion they shared with Phyllis.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial gifts to the League of Women Voters, the Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living of Danville, or a charity of your choice.
A memorial service was held March 22 at Home of Eternity Chapel, Oakland.
Dorothy Miller Rosengarten Wittenberg
November 14, 1916 — March 21, 2009
Passed away with her family by her side, she will be sorely missed by many.
Dorothy was a tireless and loyal volunteer and was charitable to many organizations and Jewish causes throughout her life including; Herzl-Ner Tamid Sisterhood, Hadassah, NCJW Council House, Kline Galland Home and many more.
Born in Denver, Colorado, Dorothy grew up in one of the only Jewish families in Tacoma, Washington. After her father’s death in 1933, when she was 17, she and her mother moved to Richmond, California where they sold retail clothes and cosmetics in an uncle’s department store and Dorothy attended UC Berkeley where she was president of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority. In 1948 Dorothy met and married Albert Rosengarten, a jeweler who opened a small business fixing watches in Bremerton, Washington. When her husband died suddenly twelve years later, Dorothy returned to San Francisco. In 1965 she married Samuel Wittenberg and returned to Seattle, becoming stepmother to his son. Throughout their marriage they loved traveling and spending time with family. Though she never had children of her own, Dorothy became the beloved “Grandma Dorothy” to Sam’s grandchildren. She reveled in the role of grandmother and spent her free time baking confectionary masterpieces for her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many friends.
Dorothy is survived by her step-son Herb Wittenberg (Freya), step-daughter-in-law Ceda Wittenberg, grandchildren, Amy Wittenberg (Jonathan Bornstein), Lee Wittenberg (Orna), Ron Wittenberg and great-grandchildren, Talya and Ari Bornstein, Sammy and Natalie Wittenberg, as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were held at Herzl Ner Tamid, Mercer Island, WA, burial at Salem Memorial Park in Colma, CA. Donations in her memory may be made to Hadassah, 1750 112th Ave NE, Ste C225, Bellevue, WA 98004.