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OBITUARIES
Florence Friedman 90, Chicago
Florence Friedman, 90, of Chicago died Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. She is survived by her children, Barbara (Michael) Horowitz of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and Atlanta and Mark (Joanne) Friedman of Upper Montclair, N.J.; grandchildren Lisa Friedman Stewart, Rachel (Ben) Sahn, Susan Horowitz, Adam Horowitz, Sandra Friedman and Geoffrey Horowitz; and great-grandchildren Isaac, Hannah and Isabelle Sahn and Graham and Schuyler Stewart. Mrs. Friedman was the loving wife of the late Dr. Irving A. Friedman for 55 years. Interment was held at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Chicago. Contributions may be made to Weinstein Hospice, www.weinsteinhospice.com; Halcyon Hospice, www.excellenceinhospice.com; or to a charity of your choice. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
Theodore Levitas 92, Atlanta
Sylvia Goldstein Sylvia Goldstein (Swartzman) of Atlanta passed away peacefully in her home Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. A Brooklyn native, she married Jack Goldstein of Atlanta in 1947. They were married for 68 years until his passing in November 2015. They started their family in Atlanta on Atlanta Avenue and later settled in Silver Spring, Md. They also enjoyed vacation homes in Ocean City, Md., and Boynton Beach, Fla. Sylvia and Jack returned to Atlanta four years ago and resided at the Renaissance on Peachtree. Sylvia worked in various government positions, her favorite being the Armed Forces Biological Institute, and later in life she earned an associate’s degree. She loved traveling and cruising with her husband and visited her daughter in Israel several times. She enjoyed many hobbies and crafts, including playing piano, singing, ice skating, sewing, needlepointing, knitting and doing papier-mâché. She was also an avid reader and carried on lively discussions about current events and politics. She was an excellent cook and served her family a full four-course dinner every night of the week. Sylvia was loving, witty and devoted to her husband and family. She treasured Skyping and Facetiming with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is survived by three children, Dianne Peikin (Stan) of Fairfax, Va., Dr. Michael Goldstein (Fern) of Atlanta and Griffin, and Nancy Ely (David) of Ra’anana, Israel; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. She will forever be remembered. She will forever be missed. The family would like to thank to Sylvia’s caregivers, Hattie Marcel, Linda Magee and Karrie Grierson, for their warm, professional and loving attention. They also wish to express their appreciation for the compassionate care provided by everyone associated with Gentiva Hospice. Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the American Heart Association. Graveside services were held Friday, Sept. 23, at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs with Rabbi Ronald Bluming officiating. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
Stephen P. Krosner 74, Marietta
Stephen P. Krosner, 74, of Marietta died Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. Dr. Krosner is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nancy Krosner; sons and daughters-in-law Jeff and Christy Krosner and David and Yudit Krosner; and grandchildren Sam Krosner, Zach Krosner, Reesa Krosner and Jonah Krosner. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Graveside services were held Monday, Sept. 26, at Arlington Memorial Park with Rabbi Shalom Lewis officiating.
Dentist Theodore “Dr. Teddy Bear” Levitas keeps a stuffed friend nearby.
Dr. Theodore Clinton “Ted,” “Dr. Teddy” or “Dr. Teddy Bear” Levitas, 92, died Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016. Dr. Levitas was a leading figure in pediatric dentistry for over 60 years and was a prominent member of the Atlanta Jewish community. He was born in Atlanta on April 9, 1924, to Louis J. and Ida G. Levitas and graduated from Boys’ High in 1941, where he served as editor in chief of the school newspaper. From there he went on to Emory University on a journalism scholarship and served as editor in chief of the Emory Wheel. Ted interrupted his studies to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he had his first experience in health care as a pharmacist’s mate aboard the USS Hoggatt Bay in the Pacific. He returned to Emory after the war, intending to pursue a career in journalism, but his cousins Irving and Marvin Goldstein, who were both practicing dentistry in Atlanta, persuaded him to accept a position at Emory University Dental School, where he received a D.D.S. degree in 1950. That launched one of the most distinguished careers in the history of American dentistry, spanning more than six decades. In 1959, Dr. Levitas began to concentrate his practice on dentistry for children, and in 1966, after attending Emory Dental School on a part-time basis while continuing to treat patients, he was awarded a master of science in dentistry degree with a concentration in pediatric dentistry. For the next 45 years, Dr. Levitas was a recognized leader in the field of children’s dentistry, serving as president of both the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Society of Dentistry for Children, as well as of the Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry (which holds an annual lecture in his name), the Northern (Georgia) District Dental Society and Atlanta’s Thomas P. Hinman Dental Society. Dr. Levitas served in many other leadership roles with national, state and local dental associations and was active in planning and organizing many dental meetings and conferences, including the Hinman Society’s celebrated annual meeting. He was a frequent and sought-after lecturer on children’s dentistry, nationally and internationally, and expressed his love for writing by contributing extensively to dental literature. For the last several decades of his career, Dr. Levitas devoted himself to the care of medically compromised and handicapped children and was appointed a diplomate of the American Board of Special Care Dentistry. He was a longtime member of the staff of both Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital and Egleston Children’s Hospital (now known as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta). He was the first dentist to become president of the hospital medical-dental staff of Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital and started the dental surgery program at Egleston Children’s Hospital. Throughout his career Dr. Levitas served the community by providing free dental care one morning a week at the Ben Massell Dental Clinic, where he was chief of staff for many years and chief emeritus beginning in 1998. He also devoted a substantial portion of his practice to serving Medicaid patients and other children who did not have easy access to quality dental care. He touched and improved the lives of thousands of children and their parents, who lovingly referred to him as Dr. Teddy Bear. Dr. Levitas’ many honors and awards include the American Society of Dentistry for Children’s Award of Excellence, the Geor- 87 SEPTEMBER 30 ▪ 2016
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