30 | August 7, 2015 Robert Baker, 92 SURPRISE, ARIZ. – Robert Baker died on July 30 after a short illness. He was the husband of the late Norma Baker. Born in Providence to the late Charles and Sarah Baker, he lived in Cranston for many years before moving to Florida, then to Arizona to be closer to his children. He was the owner of Baker Furniture Company in Providence for more than 40 years. He graduated from Hope High School and attended Providence College. His role as a photographer in the Air Force during World War II created a lifelong interest in photography. He was a past member of Temple Torat Yisrael and Temple Beth-El. He belonged to the Crestwood Country Club and Ledgemont Country Club for many years. He was a member of the Masons class of 1953. Devoted father of Yvette Kaplan and her husband Harvey of Ariz. and Susan Markus and her husband Michael of Ariz. Grandfather of David Markus. He was the last surviving sibling, predeceased by brothers, Louis, Morris, Benjamin, Isadore and Harry and sisters, Anna Melamut, Helen O’Malley, Hilda Horowitz, Ida Ennis and Rebecca Norman. He is also survived by his sisterin-law Marion Kenrick of Fla., and he was the brother-in-law of the late Martin Kenrick.
Albert J. Benharris, 92 CRANSTON, R.I. – Albert J. Benharris died July 19 at R.I. Veterans Home, Bristol. He was the beloved husband of Judith (Salk) Benharris and the late Rhoda (Stein) Benharris. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., a son of the late Moses and Rose (Braverman) Benharris, he had lived in Cranston since 1964, recently moving to Bristol.
obituaries He was a registered representative for McDowell Diamond Investments, Vice President for E.R. Davenport, partner for Wolfson Zalkind of Fall River and, most recently, a representative with Barrett Co. of which he was formerly a limited partner. He was a WWII Navy veteran, serving in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. He was a member of the Masons Redwood Lodge and Roosevelt Lodge. He was treasurer and vice president of Henry Friedman Lodge of B’Nai Brith. He was a member of Chabad of West Bay. He was a former member of Temple Ohawe Sholam, Temple Torat Yisrael and Temple Sinai. He wrote the bowling column for the R.I. Jewish Bowling Congress. Albert loved cooking, sports, statistics, musical live shows and Disney World. Devoted father of Neil Benharris of North Attleboro, Mass., and Steven Benharris of Hermosa Beach, Calif. Dear brother of Jeanne DiLella of Jersey City, N.J. and the late Justin Benharris. Loving grandfather of Ryan, Andrew, Melissa and Dylan. Contributions in his memory may be made to Make-A-Wish Foundation of R.I., 757 Park Ave., Cranston, R.I. 02910 and Chabad of West Bay, 3871 Post Road, Warwick, R.I. 02886.
The Jewish Voice She was the sister of Maynard Shusman of Barrington and the late Tevis Shusman of Springfield, Mass. She was born and raised in Bristol. She loved reading and was the valedictorian of her Colt Memorial High School class. From there, she went on to earn a B.A. in English from University of Rhode Island and then began her career working for the State of Rhode Island. Soon after that, she started her own family in Warwick but eventually moved, in the early 1960s, to Enfield, Conn. As a community activist, she was instrumental in getting public transportation established in this small town. After her husband died, she moved back to Rhode Island, settling on the East Side of Providence. She worked as a Benefit Specialist for Textron and ended her career there in the mid 1990s. In retirement, she enjoyed reading, travel, playing Scrabble with her friends, luncheons with a group of retirees and special occasions that brought many of her nephews, nieces and cousins together. But her biggest joy was being with her grandchildren and spending time with the extended family that grew around them. Donations can be made to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation online at pdf.org/en/index.
Barbara D. Brosofsky, 86
Ernest I. Chorney, 93
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Barbara D. (Shusman) Brosofsky died on June 30. She was married to the late Joseph Brosofsky of Providence and is survived by her two children Eric Brosofsky of North Providence and Daniel Brosofsky of Providence, two grandchildren, Jillian and Sarah Brosofsky, and a daughter-inlaw, Lisa Brosofsky. She was the daughter of the late Philip Shusman and the late Augusta (Eisenberg) Shusman.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Ernest I. Chorney died July 8 at Kent Hospital, Warwick. He was the beloved husband of the late Ann Chorney for 34 years. He leaves behind Lucille Hopkins, his loving partner of 32 years. Born in Providence, son of the late Daniel and Ethel (Katzura) Chorney, he was a lifelong Providence resident and owner of Chorney Upholstering in Warwick for more than 35 years. He was a member of Congregation Am David.
Devoted father of Robert Chorney and Bruce Chorney and his wife Paula, all of Warwick. Brother of the late Anne Kempner and Abraham, Samuel, and Sidney Chorney. Contributions in his memory may be made to your favorite charity.
Gary M. Coken, 67
WARWICK, R.I. – Gary M. Coken died July 9 at Mass. General Hospital, Boston. He was the beloved significant other of Nancy Gillman. Born in Providence, a son of the late Barney and Florence (Goldstein) Coken-Hanzel, he was a lifelong R.I. resident. He was an operations manager for Bridge over Troubled Waters, previously working in the jewelry industry. He was a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War. Father of Freda Coken and her significant other, George Reed, of Warwick, and Bradford Coken of Warwick. Brother of Loraine Schulman of Cranston. Grandfather of Steven, Elizabeth and her husband Fred, Donaven, William, and Laney. Cherished great-grandfather of Mason. Contributions in his memory may be made to Bridge over Troubled Waters, 47 West St., Boston, Mass., 02111.
Sanford Cotton, 92
WARWICK, R.I. – Sanford Cotton died July 11 in Warwick. He was the husband of Marion J. (Zeldis) Cotton of Warwick. They were married for 65 years. A lifelong resident of Greenfield, Mass., and son of the late Henry and Ruth (Lachance) Cotton, he had lived in Warwick for the past two years. He was the owner of Cotton’s Clothing in Greenfield and Brattleboro, Vt. He joined his father in the family business following World War II. During the war, he served in the
European theater, earning two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. He was also a lifelong member of Temple Israel in Greenfield and was its past treasurer and Sunday school teacher. In addition, he was a past member of the DAV, the Republican Lodge of the Masons, and B’nai Brith. As a young man, he enjoyed playing piano and violin in the Pioneer Valley Orchestra and loved classical music. Throughout his life, he was an avid gardener, growing beautiful roses around his home. He was also a stamp and coin collector. He was the devoted father of Cheryl Cotton Garfinkel and her husband, Wayne, of Atlanta, Ga., and Beth Salk and her husband, Jeffrey, of East Greenwich, R.I. He was the grandfather of Joshua, Kiernan, Seth, Benjamin, Allie and Adam. He also leaves behind a brother, Maurice Cotton, of Springfield, Mass., and a sister, Lorraine Cadran, of St. Petersburg, Fla. He was predeceased by his sisters Elizabeth Appel, Bernadine Newcomb, Eleanor Newcomb and Shirley Harsip. Contributions in his memory may be made to Temple Israel, 27 Pierce St., Greenfield, Mass. 01301.
Celia Dunder, 92
WARWICK, R.I. – Celia Dunder of Warwick died June 23 at Greenwich Farms Senior Living. She was the wife of the late Fred Dunder. Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Clara (Ulonofsky) Reichin, she had lived in Cranston since 1958, before moving to Warwick more than six years ago. Celia was a WWII Navy veteran, serving stateside as a Yeoman 2nd Class. She was a founding member of obituaries | 31