Obituaries

BERGER: On Wednesday, May 7, 2014, Jay Berger died after a courageous battle with cancer. Beloved father of Sophia. Son of the late Rene Unatin Berger and Arnold Berger. Loving brother of Debbi (Joe) Manich (nee Berger) and Glenn (Karen) Berger. Jay was a loving uncle, cousin, nephew and friend. He was loved by so many and will be missed by all. Graveside services and interment were held at Poale Zedeck Memorial Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Hillman Cancer Center, 5115 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15232 or Temple Sinai, 5505 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. schugar.com.

LEIPZIG: Paul Leipzig, 93, formerly of Stanton Heights and Oakland and most recently a resident of Weinberg Village and Charles Morris Nursing Home, died on Sunday, May 4, 2014; Husband of the late Esther Leipzig. Beloved father of Ronna (Jeffrey) Robinson. Preceded in death by daughter Jacqueline Miller and siblings Reuben, Hyman, Florence (Zimmerman) and Jerome Leipzig. Grandfather of Lauren (Bruce) Gluckman of State College, Pa., Randall (Jenn) Miller of Robbinsville, N.J., Alyssa (Dale) Cooper of Ithaca, N.Y. and Jacob (Kristina) Robinson of Allaince, Ohio. Also survived by five great-grandchildren and cherished friend Dorothy Schorin. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment at Beth Shalom Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Mollie’s Meals or JAA, 200 JHF Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. schugar.com

LEVIN: On Sunday, May 11, 2014, Jack; Beloved husband of the late Fay Levin. Loving father of Brenda Levin and Sharon Simons. Brother of Gladys (Sam) Brog, Wilma (Sidney) Rosen, Ann Lowenkron and the late Deanie (late Harry) Schwartz and Solomon Levin. Grandpa Jack to Faith and Karrah Beck. Also survived by longtime friend Charlotte

Get The Jewish Chronicle Weekly Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Reiter and nieces and nephews. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment at Beth Shalom Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 320 Bilmar Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 or the United

Jewish Federation, 234 McKee Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. schugar.com.

LONDON: Ruth London passed away on January 26, 2014. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Jack C. London, her brother and sister-in-law, Norman and Jean Gordon, and her parents, Fannie and Abraham Gordon.  She is survived by her children, Alan and Elaine London, Andrea London and Ken Boas; her grandchildren Sara London, Daniel London and Megan Reilly; and her great-grandchildren Lena and Ezra Rothschild and Sylvia and Tessa London. There will be a memorial service on Sunday, May 25 at Temple Emanuel in Mount Lebanon.

Markel: Merwyn R. Markel formerly of Pittsburgh, passed away peacefully on May 2, 2014 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. Merwyn had been a resident of Hazel Cypen Tower at Miami Jewish Health Systems in Miami for the past several years. He was preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy Jacobson, to whom he was a devoted son, his father, Louis Markel, and step-father, Edward Jacobson. Merwyn had a long career as an investigator for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.  He received a bachelor of arts in English from Duquesne University, a master in arts in teaching from the University of Pittsburgh and a master in industrial relations from Seton Hill University. Merwyn leaves behind his cousins, Suzy Wilkoff of Palm Beach, Fla., and Marjorie Wilkoff of Coral Gables, Fla., and other cousins in Pittsburgh, Boca Raton, Fla., and White Plains, N.Y. Merwyn was a kind and gentle man.  He was loved by many including his cousins, his best friend, Jim Fleischmann (Lynne), his devoted aide, Merlin Reid Dawes, and the staff of HCT. A remembrance will be held in Pittsburgh at a later date. Donations in his memory can be made to the National Parkinson Foundation or the National Institute of Mental Health.

Moritz: Gloria K. Moritz, 72, formerly of Squirrel Hill and White Oak, died on Saturday, May 3, 2014 at the Golden Living Center, Mount Lebanon.  She was a childcare worker at the Jewish Community Center in Pittsburgh and a graduate of the secretarial school of Robert Morris College. Daughter of the late William and Dorothy Reisberg Klein, she is survived by her son, Jeffrey Moritz of Arlington, Va., and by her daughter, Stacy (Todd) Corbin of Shaker Heights, Ohio, and by two grandsons, Benjamin and William Corbin.  A graveside service was held on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at Temple Emanuel Cemetery, Hempfield Township with Rabbi Sara Rae Perman officiating and arrangements by the Hunter Funeral Home, Inc.

Pavilack: Irving “Ivan” Pavilack died on Wednesday, May 7, 2014. Born on Aug. 18, 1927, he was the son of the late Sylvia and David Pavilack.  Survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Glenda Klein Pavilack of Wheeling, W. Va.; sons Stuart (Rachel Bretton Pavilack) Pavilack also of Wheeling, Ronald (Laurel) Pavilack of Slate Hill, N.Y., and Richard (June) Pavilack of Cincinnati; and daughter Barbara (Cobi) Melenik of Myrtle Beach, S.C. Also, grandchildren Melissa, Aaron, Austin, Jacob, Brandon, Eli and Joanie. Brother of Dr. Paul Pavilack and Shirley (Don) Knecht, both of Florida.  Preceded in death by a sister, Phyllis Pavilack Gentry and two brothers, Dr. Sidney Pavilack and Larry Pavilack, Esq. Interment at Jewish Memorial Park, Wheeling, with Rabbi Beth Jacowitz Chottiner officiating.

SOCKEL: Freda  Sockel, 88, of Oakland on May 11, 2014. Wife of the late Willam Sockel, daughter of the late Norman and Rose Hyatt, mother of  Rita Ozimek Lopez (Daniel) and Linda S. Melada (Dr. Arthur S. Levine).  Sister of Sara Newberg, the late Benjamin Hyatt (Lenore Hyatt), and the late Albert Hyatt.  Grandmother of Ryan Ozimek, Nicole and Kevin Lopez, Geoffrey and Marc Melada.  Dear cousin of David Leitman;  beloved aunt of Larry and Linda Newberg, Irene and Harry Exler, Ronald and Ruthy Hyatt, Robert and Victoria Hyatt, and Marcy and Howard Gross. Many dearly beloved cousins and friends. Arrangements were by the Chevra Kadisha Jewish Burial Society of Pittsburgh. Donations in Freda’s memory may be directed to the University of Pittsburgh, Gary A. Melada M.D., Memorial Scholarship Fund, Scaife Hall, Suite 401, 3550 Terrace St., Pittsburgh, PA 15261.

WEINFELD: On Saturday, May 10, 2014, Berta Weinfeld, 96, a Holocaust survivor. Beloved wife of the late Isaac Klos. Beloved mother of Dr. Mieczyslaw (Anna) Weinfeld. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment at B’nai Israel Cemetery. Contributions may be made to United Jewish Federation, 234 McKee Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. schugar.com

WEISSMAN: Morton A. Weissman, 95, of Birmingham, Ala., formerly of Pittsburgh and Delray Beach, Fla., died on Saturday, May 10.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Elaine R. Weissman, and his sister and brother-in-law, Doris and Sander Stewart.  He is survived by step-daughter Linda (Bruce) Mittleman; step-son Rob (Maggie Patterson) Ruck of Pittsburgh; nephew George (Sue) Stewart of Pittsburgh, niece Karen (Robert) Goldberg of Silver Spring, Md.; grandchildren, Carl (Jennifer) Mittleman of Denver, Hallie Mittleman of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Alex (Alison) Ruck of Pittsburgh; and great-grandchildren, Dorie and Seth Mittleman of Denver. Morton Weissman worked for many years in industrial real estate for Arnheim & Neely of Pittsburgh.  He was twice president of Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Society of Industrial Realtors, which named him Man of the Year. A 1940 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, he was business manager of the Pitt News, which featured an interview with him in a 2010 retrospective.  Mort recalled struggling to sell enough advertisements to keep the paper afloat during the Depression but also the good times the staff enjoyed together. He later taught real-estate courses at Pitt and served as mentor to many. He rose to the rank of major in the Army and served in France, where he managed a hospital and a prison- of-war camp during World War II and in the Korean War. Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at West View Cemetery in Pittsburgh. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to the University of Pittsburgh.

BRILL: On April 27, 2014 Rose S. “Posy”; Beloved wife of Jack, and the loving mother of Randi Brill (and Robert) Zieserl and Barry (and Penny) Brill. Posy was also the incredible “Grama Posy” to Eric, Andrew, Jonathan, and Joshua Brill and Elie, Mia, Will, and Charlie Zieserl. Posy is also survived by her cousin, Somer Obernauer, and her dear friend, Lynne Morrow. She will be missed by many, including her loving nieces and nephews, great friends, and neighbors. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and long-time resident of Squirrel Hill, Posy touched many lives through her 37-plus years with the Jewish Community Center where she served in multiple roles including early childhood teacher, Director of Early Childhood, and Director of Membership/Scholarships. Those who knew Posy will attest that she believed that every individual was special and possessed a unique set of gifts to be nurtured. Posy’s own gift was discovering those aspects of each of the children in her charge and helping their families to further inspire their children to flourish. Later, Posy applied this same talent to the families with whom she interacted in membership and for scholarships. Posy had a special way of communicating with everyone, seeing the good in every person and situation, and helping others to become confident contributors. Her kindness and care will be missed. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. and were officiated by Rabbi Steven Lowenstein of Am Shalom Synagogue in Glencoe, Illinois, who travelled to Pittsburgh as a special friend to the Brill-Zieserl family. Donations in memory of Posy may be made to the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Assistance Fund, and Am Shalom at 840 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe, IL 60022. www.schugar.com

LIPSITZ: Bertha; Age 94, of Squirrel Hill, passed away on Tuesday, May 13, 2014; Beloved wife of the late Sigmund Lipsitz. Cherished mother of Dr. H. David (Karen) Lipsitz and William (Lynne) Lipsitz. Devoted grandmother of Carly Lipsitz Blaise Robert, Jason and Ashley Lipsitz. Great-grandmother of Shane Blaise. Bertha was a Holocaust survivor. After WWII, she and Sigmund came to the United States where they started NBZ Inc., a wholesale clothing business. Throughout her life, Bertha’s strength and resilience was an inspiration to her family, friends and all who knew her. Graveside Services and Interment were held at Shaare Torah Cemetery. Contributions in Bertha’s name may be made to United Jewish Federation, 234 McKee Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or a charity of the donor’s choice. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. www.schugar.com

FOGEL: Lorraine Fogel, 88, beloved mother of Andrea (Robert) Seewald of Squirrel Hill, and Marcia (Dean) Morris of Wisconsin. Adored grandmother of Scott (Stacey) Seewald, Rachel (Michael) Golden, Sarah (Jon) Sussman, Alisa Seewald, Megan (John) Gregory and Ashley Morris. Cherished Grand-Bubbie to 10. Sister of Barbara Mann of California. She was the loving wife of the late Morton Fogel of Chicago. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Funeral services were held at Shaare Torah Synagogue and burial at Poale Zedeck Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements by the Chevra Kadisha Jewish Burial Society of Pittsburgh