Betty Lou Cook
Our mom, grandmother and friend is resting in peace after a courageous struggle with cancer. Betty Cook (nee Wise) was born in San Francisco on October 5, 1933. She was raised in Piedmont, and lived there for most of her life until moving to Rossmoor 20 years ago. She died at home with her three children at her side on June 25.
Her life revolved around family, friends and community. Betty was involved in Camp Fire Girls and Girl Scouts when her daughters were young and she was president of the Lake Merritt Chapter of B’nai B’rith. She was a longtime volunteer with the City of Piedmont’s Crime Prevention Task force and helped raise funds for their first police dog. As an active member of the Rossmoor Tennis Club, she organized many social and fundraising events. She was always there to listen and be a mentor to all, including friends around the world. Betty’s favorite pastimes were spending time with her family, fending off the deer from her flower gardens, traveling, playing tennis, bargain shopping, reading novels, crossword puzzles, dominos and card games. A colleague and friend recently described her as “indefatigable.”
Betty is survived by her daughters Cyndie and Sherri; son John; and grandchildren Alex, Ben and Alicia. Her family and friends will miss her humor and wit, caring nature, love and strength.
A celebration of Betty’s life was held in Rossmoor on Tuesday, July 7. Memorial contributions may be made to Temple Sinai in Oakland, Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek or a charity of your choice.
Pesach John Goodman, formerly of Sleepy Hollow, San Anselmo passed away in Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel after a long illness just prior to this past Shavuous.
Pesach was born in North Hollywood in 1955 of a mixed marriage, father Jewish, mother non-Jewish. Pesach was the only child.
After the family moved to Sacramento, under Senior Rabbi Joseph Ehrenkrantz’s guidance at Mosaic Law Synagogue, Pesach was converted to Judaism and had his Bar Mitzvah in May of 1968.
The family moved to Marin in 1970. Pesach finished high school then joined his father in the floor covering business. He made aliyah to Israel in 1982 after several trips to make sure that this was his future.
His first Israel experience was on a kibbutz in Ein Dor, near Afula. He then moved to Kiryat Arba and lived in a caravan supplied by the government with minimum conveniences for settlers. He worked in floor coverings, mostly big jobs in Jerusalem and Eilat.
He married Avigial, a Jewish girl who made aliyah from France. They were married in Hebron in the social hall on the grounds of the Machpela, which is completely surrounded by Arab homes. They bought a new home in Kiryat Arba, walking distance from Machpela. Pesach was a volunteer in the IDF reserves.
Pesach is survived by wife, Avigail, and six children, two living in the Bay Area, and his father George of Novato.
Jacob S. (Jack) Hyams, Magnes Museum volunteer and advocate for senior citizens, died of a heart attack at his home in Concord on June 22 at the age of 90.
Mr. Hyams served on the Concord Commission on Aging for seven years and helped to develop the Concord Senior Center. He also served for five years on the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority Citizens’ Advisory Committee, representing the interests of seniors, and on the board of the Friends of the Concord Library. He was also a volunteer at the Magnes Museum, cataloging the photographs in the museum’s archive. Earlier he had been a printer and photographer. His photograph of the Constitution Avenue facade of the National Gallery of Art, taken in 1941, is part of the Washington museum’s “Then and Now” exhibit.
Mr. Hyams was born in New York City on Nov. 11, 1918, the day World War I ended, and fittingly his middle name was Sholom, Hebrew for peace. He attended Jewish schools in Brooklyn before moving to the Bay Area after his Army service in World War II.
Mr. Hyams is survived by his son, David (Sonja) of San Francisco; his daughter, Toni Donelson (Milt) of Corvallis OR; his dear companion Betty Chuck of Concord; grandsons Mark Hyams (Julia) of Albuquerque NM and Trent Donelson of Eugene OR; and his friends. He is predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Evelyn, and grandson, Clinton.
David Joah Murphy in Oakland on July 1st at 21 years of age. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area. Loving son of Edie Murphy and Dennak Murphy; dear brother of Gabe Murphy and Ryan Murphy-Marquez; grandson of Rosalind Leighton; uncle to Rowan and Matisse Marquez.
Special appreciation goes to the American Star Home and Resilience School of Health in Antioch, CA, which provided extraordinary love and care to David.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 26th at 11 a.m. at Kehilla Community Synagogue, 1300 Grand Ave., Piedmont. Private burial services were held.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Blind Babies Foundation, 1814 Franklin St., 11th floor, Oakland, CA 94612; or “Build” (Berkeley Youth Living with Disabilities) 1716 Milvia St., Berkeley, CA 94709; or “DREDF” (Disabilities Rights and Education Defense Fund), 2212 6th St., Berkeley, CA 94710.
Walter R. Steinberg passed peacefully on June 23, 2009, due to complications from prostate cancer. He was born in Bamberg, Germany on December 24, 1910. After suffering his share of pain from the terrible events in the 1930s, over which he had no control, Walter never showed bitterness or cynicism about humanity throughout the rest of his life. Since traveling extensively throughout the world was a passion for Walter, he had a very wide circle of friends who can attest to having received his abundant expressions of sincere love, kindness and generosity. In return, he received unconditional love by all. Honoring Walter’s request, there will be no funeral or memorial services. Memorials may be made to the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco.
Gary A. Tobin
Founder and president of San Francisco Think Tank, Institute for Jewish & Community Research (IJCR), passed away on July 6, 2009 at age 59.
Gary worked courageously and passionately to help the Jewish people grow and thrive.
He was an innovative teacher, writer, researcher and community builder.
Gary devoted his life to his wife and business partner Diane, his children Adam, Amy, Sarah, Aryeh, Mia and Jonah, and his grandson Josiah.
Services were held at Congregation Beth Sholom, 14th Avenue and Clement, San Francisco.
In memory of Gary, you may make contributions to IJCR (see www.jewishresearch.org). Sinai Memorial Chapel.