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IN MEMORY

THE JEWISH STATE
February 19, 2010

CORWIN. Mrs. Phyllis Berger Corwin died Feb. 12, 2010. She was 79.

Born at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, Phyllis was the daughter of Herman and Minna Berger. After graduating from Hillside High School, she earned her degree in home economics from Cornell University, where she met her husband-to-be, Stanley Corwin. After their marriage in 1952, the couple built a home in Westfield. While raising her three sons, she found time to be a Cub Scout den mother, an active member of the Brightwood Association, and a contestant in (and winner of) the Mrs. Shackamaxon beauty pageant. An accomplished singer, she sang with the Chansonettes, the Temple Emanuel choir, and in several musical productions. She enjoyed playing the piano and guitar, bird watching, and gardening.

In her later years, Phyllis became a prolific sculptress. Her passion for adventure led Phyllis to work as a travel agent for Fischer Brothers in Springfield for many years. In retirement, she and Stan explored the world by air, rail, skis and motor home. With the Richmond Yacht Club as their base, they sailed the Aquarius throughout the Eastern Seaboard and the Caribbean. Over the years, she regularly volunteered at the Westfield Community Center, Children's Specialized Hospital, Morristown Memorial Hospital, and the Basking Ridge Library.

Phyllis is lovingly survived by her husband, Stanle; sons and daughters-in-law, David, Steven and Beth, and Jim and Susan; grandchildren, Michael and his fiancée, Julie Ames, Deborah, Benjamin, Julie, Spencer, and Buddy; and sister, Sheila Sugerman of South Orange. Interment at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Iselin. Arrangements by the M. John Scanlan Funeral Home, Pompton Plains. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or The Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties (www.jfedshaw.org).

GLADSTONE. Mrs. Jean B. Bresler Gladstone died Feb. 13, 2010 at home. She was 88.

Born in Brooklyn, Mrs. Gladstone lived in Hillside for 46 years before moving to Monroe 12 years ago. Prior to retiring she was an interior designer for Decorating with Antiques, Hillsdale. Her husband, Frederick, died in 1971, and her son, Douglas, died in 2006.

Mrs. Gladstone is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Peter and Tracy Hannah; daughter-in-law, Lenore Gladstone; and grandchildren, Steven, Lauren, Gillian, and Scott. Interment at Beth El Cemetery, Washington. Arrangements by Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, East Brunswick. Memorial donations may be made to SEEC, Supporting Adults with Disabilities, 8905 Fairview Road, Suite 300, Silver Spring, Md. 20910.

HOMER. Dr. LeRoy (Bud) Homer died at home Feb. 8, 2010, after a prolonged illness. He was 85.

A proud graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Dr. Homer practiced internal medicine in Woodbridge from 1954 until 1993. His career spanned several eras of medicine from old-time house calls to modern high-tech medicine. He introduced nephrology to Middlesex County, by starting the areas first renal dialysis center in the early 1970s. Having served several times as chief of the medical staff at both Perth Amboy General Hospital (now Raritan Bay Medical Center) and JFK Hospital in Edison, he was known for his fair-mindedness and forward-thinking approach to medicine. In his leisure time, he was an avid gardener and angler.

Dr. Homer is survived by his wife of 59 years, Gertrude; sons, Stuart of Watchung, Charles of Brookline, Mass., and Robert of New Haven, Conn.; and six grandchildren. Interment at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge. Arrangements by Goldstein Funeral Chapel, Edison. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Palm Beach County, Fla.

KAPLAN. Dr. Stephen Kaplan died Feb. 8, 2010. He was 77.

Born in Bridgeton, Dr. Kaplan was raised in Vineland, where he was an Eagle Scout. He went to Temple University and graduated from Temple School of Dentistry, where he met Rebekah Calechman of New Haven, Conn., whom he later married. He lived in Colonia for almost 50 years and practiced dentistry there from 1958 until his retirement in 2000. Always civic-minded, he serviced his community through many volunteer efforts and leadership positions, including as president of B'nai Jacob in Avenel and of the local Jewish Community Council, and as founder of the Jewish Community Center of Northern Middlesex County. He organized the dental program in the Woodbridge Township School System. Most recently, he was an Arts Commissioner at the Barron Arts Center in Woodbridge and a founder of their lecture series. He also served the United Way of Central N.J. as a member of the Community Needs Committee and chairman of Distribution Panel. An avid and award winning photographer, Steve saw beauty in nature and architecture and turned it into art.

Dr. Kaplan is survived by his wife of 54 years, Re; daughter, Lauren Springer and her husband Jay of Allendale; and son, David Kaplan and his wife Terri Stein of Greenwich, Conn.; six grandchildren; and his sister, Anita Fisher of Vineland. Interment at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery, Iselin. Arrangements by Goldstein Funeral Chapel, Inc., Edison. Memorial donations may be made to United Way of Central N.J. and Barron Arts Center of Woodbridge.

KATZ. Mr. Steven Katz died Feb. 9, 2010 at home. He was 67.

Born in Newark, Mr. Katz grew up in Hillside, and lived in Montvale for 35 years. He was a CPA of the firm Steven J. Katz CPA of Fort Lee, and was a member of Temple Beth Sholom of Pascack Valley. He served in the Army in Germany.

Mr. Katz is survived by his wife, Edith (née Feldman); sons, Jim of Hoboken, and Scott of Boston, Mass.; mother, Helene Katz of Springfield; brother, Michael of Cincinnati; and sister, Flora Lynn of Springfield. Arrangements by Eden Memorial Chapels, Fort Lee.

MICHELSON. Mr. Lewis Michelson died Feb. 14, 2010 at Runnells Specialized Hospital, Berkeley Heights. He was 100.

Born and raised in North Plainfield, Mr. Michelson lived there until recently moving to the nursing care facility. He was manager of Semer & Co., a wholesale hardware company in New York, for more than 50 years. He served as a master sergeant in the Army during World War II, receiving four Bronze Service Stars for his participation in the Normandy, Central Europe, Northern France and Rhineland campaigns. In June of 1944, he was among the first 100,000 troops to land at Utah Beach in Normandy. At the end of April 1945, he and his first sergeant, while traveling to Munich, arrived at the Dachau concentration camp. The camp had just been liberated, and the atrocities within it were being discovered for the first time by American troops. Michelson climbed on one of the freight cars in the camp and looked down to see that it was full of naked corpses. On July 19, 2007, his service during the war was recognized, and he was awarded the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. He was predeceased by his brothers, Ralph, Morris, Conrad, Morton, and Herbert; sister, Eva Michelson; and nephew, Harold Michelson.

Mr. Michelson is survived by his niece, Sara Bloom of Southold, N.Y. Interment at Gateville Cemetery, Bridgewater. Arrangements by Higgins Home for Funerals, Plainfield.

NAFTALIS. Mrs. Tudy Naftalis died peacefully Dec. 17, 2009, at Bartley Healthcare in Jackson. She was 93.

Born in Newark, Tudy was the fifth of six daughters born to Harry and Fanny Pochtar. She attended schools in Newark and then moved to Bradley Beach to raise her family at the shore. While living there, she was an active fundraiser for both Hadassah and Deborah Hospital. A homemaker, she was an expert designer and seamstress and also knitted beautiful prize-winning dresses and sweaters. Her stylish creations were often displayed in knitting shops at the shore. When her husband retired, they moved to South Florida where together they became champion bowlers. They were unbeatable and enjoyed the sport until his death. She continued to compete in bowling matches until her eyesight started to fail. She relocated to New Jersey in 2000. Her beloved husband of 57 years, Irving, died in 1991. Tudy was also predeceased by her son-in-law, Reuben Butensky, and her sisters, Betty Pochtar and Julia Kremer.

Tudy is survived by her loving and devoted daughter, Barbara Butensky of Morganville; son, Alan of Tucson, Ariz.; grandchildren, Karyn, Debbie, Beth, Paul, and Lori; great-grandchildren, Rachel, David, Joshua, Bradley, Nicolas, and Christopher; sister, Anita Field; and several nieces and nephews. Interment at Boris Polar Cemetery, Newark. Arrangements by Belkoff-Goldstein Funeral Chapel, Lakewood. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Greater New Jersey Chapter, 400 Morris Ave., Suite 251, Denville, N.J. 07834.

ROCHMAN. Mrs. Malka Rochman died Feb. 14, 2010 at the Abramson Residence in North Wales, Pa. She was 102.

Born in Warsaw, Poland, Mrs. Rochman was a Holocaust survivor. After the war she came to America and settled in Howell. She was loved by all who knew her, both family and friends, and will be missed. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, David, and her daughter, Pauline Lanzbom.

Mrs. Rochman is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Leon and Rose of Lakewood; daughter and son-in-law, Rita and Mark Gartenberg of Bala Cynwyd, Pa.; eight grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to Congregation Sons of Israel Poor Fund, 590 Madison Ave., Lakewood, N.J. Interment at Mount Sinai Cemetery. Arrangements by Belkoff-Goldstein Funeral Chapel, Lakewood.