BERG. Mrs. Shirley Berman Berg died Jan. 15, 2009 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. She was 87.
Born in the Bronx, Mrs. Berg lived in Belleville for 45 years before moving to Monroe eight years ago. At Clearbrook, she was the section four treasurer and loved directing the Woodland Village Productions. Prior to retiring, she was an accountant for Artley, Inc., Newark, where she worked for eight years. She received her bachelor's degree from Hunter College, Manhattan, in 1942. Her husband of 40 years, Franklin, died in 1982.
Mrs. Berg is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Alan and Linda of Hernando, Fla.; daughter and son-in-law Judi and Sandy Share of East Brunswick; brother, Robert Berman of Deerfield Park, Fla.; and granddaughters, Jennifer, Debbi and Jessi. Interment at Forest Green Park Cemetery, Marlboro. Arrangements by Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, East Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 785 Springfield Ave., Summit, N.J. 07901.
BORNSTEIN.Mrs. Janice Bornstein died Jan. 17, 2009. She was 85.
Born in Newark to Mildred and Jack Lazarow, Janice grew up in Newark and Irvington and lived in West Orange for more than 40 years, where she and her husband of 54 years, Aaron "Harry" Bornstein, raised their three daughters. Janice and Harry moved to Monroe in 1998. She will be remembered for her sweet, gentle nature, her creative talents and keen intelligence. She was a devoted mother and wife who spent many years caring for Harry as his health failed. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Alfred Greenbaum, and her sister, Grace Applebaum.
Janice is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Nancy and James Glickman, Paula Kose, and Jacqueline Bornstein and Ray Buttigieg; four grandchildren; and five great-granddaughters. Janice's daughter, Paula, provided her the very best care and love during a battle with Alzheimer's disease, for which the family is exceptionally grateful. Entombment at B'nai Abraham Memorial Park, Union. Arrangements by Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, East Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 196 Princeton Hightstown Rd., No. 11, Princeton Junction, N.J. 08550.
GARDINER.Mr. Alan M. Gardiner died Jan. 21, 2009. He was 84.
Born in Brooklyn, Alan lived in Linden for 59 years. He graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute with a master's in chemical engineering. He retired from Merck in 1989 after a 40-year career. His last position at Merck was director of public affairs. He was active on the boards of many civic associations, including the Linden Planning Board, the Linden Industrial Association, the Chemical Industry Council and Temple Beth El-Mekor Chayim. Alan was an avid supporter of the arts and an outdoorsman. "Grampy," as he was known affectionately to his family, was also a man on the go.
Mr. Gardiner is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Trudi; sons and daughters-in-law, Harlan and Donna of Park City, Utah and Mitchell and Debbie of Shrewsbury, Eric and Marsi of La Jolla, Calif., and Hope of Linden; and grandchildren, Emily, Nicole, Ryan, Ari, Jordan and Ian. Entombment at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge. Arrangements by The Goldstein Funeral Chapel Inc., Edison.
GENSLER. Mr. Joel I. Gensler died Jan. 13, 2009 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. New Brunswick. He was 66.
Born in the Bronx, Mr. Gensler lived in East Brunswick for the past 39 years. He was the partner in charge of Small Business at Eisner, LLP, in Manhattan, where he worked for the past 40 years. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served during the Vietnam War. He was a member of East Brunswick Jewish Center, where he was past president of the EBJC Mens' Club. He was treasurer of Middlesex County Jewish Family Services, a trustee of the Middlesex County Jewish Federation, and treasurer of the Big Apple Greeters, a non-profit organization promoting New York City tourism. He was predeceased by his mother, Martha.
Mr. Gensler is survived by his wife of 42 years, R. Hillary Nyer Gensler; sons and daughters-in-law, Adam and Melanie of San Francisco, Calif., Scott and Diane of Owings Mills, Md., and Marc of Jersey City; father, Sam of Delray Beach, Fla.; brother, Peter of East Brunswick; and grandchildren, Ruth, Ryan, Aaron and Jolie. Interment at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge. Arrangements by Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, East Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to the Joel Gensler Endowment at East Brunswick Jewish Center (for Adult Education), 511 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick, N.J. 08816.
GOLDBERG.Mr. Moe Goldberg died Jan. 21, 2009. He was 93.
Mr. Goldberg was a long time resident of Hillside. A combat veteran of World War II and a Purple Heart recipient, he served in the Army and fought in the Rhineland Campaign in France in 1944. He was an active community member, instrumental in building a Little League field in Hillside. He served on the recreation committee and was pool commissioner for many years. He belonged to B'nai B'rith of Hillside, Jewish War Veterans and Disabled Veterans of America. He was predeceased by his first wife, Adele (Gittelman) Goldberg.
Mr. Goldberg is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter and son-in-law, Sande and Marty Mand; grandson and wife, Scott and Michele Wishna; great-grandsons, Benjamin and Samuel Wishna; step-daughter, Lynn Miller; step-daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Kevin McCarthy; step-grandchildren, Rachel Miller and Stephen, Hannah, Charlanne and Morla McCarthy; and nieces and nephews. Interment at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge. Arrangements by Menorah Chapels at Millburn, Union. Memorial donations may be made to Jewish War Veterans at www.jwv.org.
OIFER. Mr. Szaia Oifer died Jan. 4, 2009 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. He was 90.
Born in Poland, Mr. Oifer lived in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Marlboro before moving to East Brunswick three years ago. He was a Holocaust survivor. Before retiring 25 years ago he was a carpenter in the construction industry.
Mr. Oifer is survived by his wife of 63 years, Paula; son and daughter-in-law, Benjamin and Dalia of Oxford, Conn.; daughter and son-in-law, Norma and Fred Teicher of East Brunswick; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Arrangements by Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, East Brunswick.
OSTROFF. Mrs. Muriel R. Ostroff died Jan. 27, 2009 in Sarasota, Fla., after a long illness. She was 82.
Mrs. Ostroff was an educator for her entire life in elementary schools, Jewish schools, adult schools, and as a docent at the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota.
Born in Newark, Mrs. Ostroff graduated from Weequahic High School in Newark and New Jersey State Teachers College at Newark (now Kean University in Union) with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. She also took additional courses in education at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, New York University, Kean College, the New School in New York City and Union County College in Cranford. She began her career in New Jersey as an educator as a Sunday school teacher at Temple Sharey Tefilo in East Orange (now South Orange) and Temple B'nai Jeshuran in Newark (now Short Hills). At the same time she was a primer teacher at the Jewish Educational Center in Elizabeth. She then taught 2nd and 3rd grade in the Elizabeth Public Schools in the city's Elizabeth port section. After a break to have two children, she joined the Cranford public school system to teach 2nd and 3rd grades for 19 years.
After retiring from the Cranford school system, Mrs. Ostroff was a special reading teacher in Roselle public schools, and a teacher at the K'Ton Ton Child Center at Temple Mekor Chayim-Suburban Jewish Center in Linden. At the Linden Adult School, she taught classes in "How to be a substitute teacher" and English as a second language. She also did private tutoring.
Mrs. Ostroff raised her family in Linden and lived there until moving to Sarasota, Fla., in 1993. In Sarasota, she did tutoring for the Sarasota Board of Education, taught English as a second language at the Sarasota County Adult and Community Education Center and worked as a volunteer teacher and tutor at Wilkinson Elementary School. She also worked as a volunteer and substitute teacher at New Gate School, a Montessori private school. After two years of study, she was accepted into the docent program at the Ringling museum, leading hundreds of tours for adults and children. She also attended educational programs for Brandeis Women in Sarasota. She loved to teach, no matter what the venue. She always held her family and friends first and herself last. She was a teacher to the end, a constant inspiration to all around her.
In the fall of 2007, she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and given three months to live. She surprised her doctors, family and friends by sending her cancer into temporary remission. The cancer returned in the fall of 2008.
Mrs. Ostroff was the daughter of the late Thomas C. and Claire Rubin. Mrs. Ostroff is survived by her loving husband, Marvin; daughter, Susan Keller of North Brunswick; son, Ron of Edison; grandsons Matthew and Brett Keller; sister and brother-in-law, Audrey and Robert Stein of Los Angeles; brother and sister-in-law, Martin and Marilyn Rubin of Verona; and many loving friends, cousins, nieces and nephews. Donations in Muriel Ostroff's memory can be made to TideWell Hospice and Palliative Care, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, Fla. 34238, or Temple Beth Sholom Judaica Museum, 1050 South Tuttle Ave., Sarasota, Fla. 34237.