30 | May 9, 2014 Nathan M. Berman, 98
WARWICK, R.I. – Nathan Berman died April 23. He was the husband of the late Arline (Clemens) Berman. Born in Boston, a son of the late Harry and Rose Berman, he lived most of his life in Natick, Mass., before moving to Rhode Island in 2004. A graduate of Boston Latin School and the University of Massachusetts, Berman worked for many years as an executive with the former A. Sandler Shoe Co. He attained the rank of sergeant while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a former member of Temple Israel in Natick. He is survived by his children, David Berman of Providence and Mark Berman and his wife Susan of Kingston. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Providence Community Library, P.O. Box 9267, Providence, R.I. 02940.
George Herbert Borts, 86
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Professor George Herbert Borts, died May 2 in Providence. He was a son of the late Elias Alexander and Etta (Silberg) Borts, husband of Muriel “Dolly” (Levenson) Borts and brother of Lawrence (Beverly) Borts. He was the father of David (Lucia Fontes) Borts, Richard (Paulette York) Borts and Robert (Erin O’Cain) Borts. He was the grandfather of Alexander, Andrew and Liana Borts. Borts was born in New York City on Aug. 29, 1927, and educated at Columbia University. He received his A.M. in 1949 and his Ph.D. in 1953 from the University of Chicago, studying under Milton Friedman.
OBITUARIES He spent 63 years at Brown University, where he joined the Department of Economics in 1950 at the age of 23. During his career, he served as chairman of the Department of Economics at Brown, as the managing editor of the “American Economic Review” and as a visiting professor/research fellow at Hokkaido University, London School of Economics and the National Bureau of Economic Research. Borts was an expert in international finance and transportation. He testified frequently before U.S. and Canadian regulatory commissions. During his long and distinguished career, he published numerous scholarly books, articles and monographs as well as commentary for the Providence Journal. A tireless advocate for the free market, he was also a dedicated educator and teacher. He advised both undergraduate and graduate students with equal dedication and led Brown’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter for many years. Borts served on many boards, including the Rhode Island School of Design, Dartmouth’s Amos Tuck School of Business, Rhode Island Blue Shield, Junior Achievement of Rhode Island and Temple BethEl. He also advised several political candidates on economic and tax policy. Contributions in memory of George H. Borts may be made to Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island, Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center or the Alzheimer’s Association, Rhode Island Chapter.
Malcolm C. Bromberg, 90
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Malcolm C. Bromberg died April 25. He was the husband of the late Ruth (Borod) Bromberg and the late Sylvia (Delfino) Bromberg. Born in Providence, a son of the late Benjamin and Flora (Wolfe) Bromberg, he was a lifelong
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resident of the city. Bromberg attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute and was the president of Benny’s Inc., which was founded by his parents in 1924. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Bromberg was a member of Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Beth Shalom in Providence, and was a member of Congregation Beth David in Narragansett. He was a Past Master of Redwood Lodge #35 AF & AM, a Past Grand Master of The Grand Lodge of Rhode Island F&AM, a 33rd Degree Mason and a member of several other Masonic organizations. He had a lifelong dedication to Jewish Day School education. He was an amateur radio operator, an avid fisherman and a talented artist. He is survived by his children, Howard Bromberg and his wife Susan, Arnold Bromberg and his wife Jane and Judith Rosenstein and her husband Jay, all of Providence; his step-children Linda and Joan Wattman; his companion Natalie Weiner; his grandchildren Scott, Matthew, Shira, Avi, Michael and Samuel; and his great-grandchildren Talia, Allison, Jamie, Ayelet, Brandon, Galit and Noah. He was the brother of the late Barbara Abrams Pikelny. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the charity of your choice.
Herbert L. Brown, 96
CRANSTON, R.I. – Herbert L. Brown died April 25. He was the beloved husband of Sylvia (Rosen) Brown for 64 years, the devoted father of Andi, Ellen Effren (Jerry) and Heidi (Rich Moche) and adoring grandfather of Sydney and Jack Zelinka; Jay (Leigh) and Hilary Effren; and Isaac, Charlotte and Henry Moche. He is also survived by sisters-in-law Phyllis Brown and Trude Brown. He was predeceased by his brothers Bertram, Norman and Russell.
Son of the late Charles and Lillian (Beerman) Brown, he was born in Providence and lived his entire life in Rhode Island. He was a leading retailer with his men’s and boy’s apparel store, Herbert Brown Inc. He became a real estate broker and vice president of Henry W. Cooke Co., and later founded his own firm, Herbert Brown Realty. Brown was an exhibiting artist with shows at the Providence Art Club and the Rhode Island Watercolor Society. He served on the boards of Temple Emanu-El, the former Jewish Home for the Aged and the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Society; he was named an honorary board member of the Jewish Seniors Agency of Rhode Island. He was also an accomplished composer and poet. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Jewish Seniors Agency, 100 Niantic Ave., Providence, R.I. 02907.
Marilynn C. Fink
CRANSTON, R.I. – Marilynn C. Fink, died April 30, at Cedar Crest Nursing Center, Johnston. She was the beloved wife of the late Jacob P. “Jack” Fink. Born in Jersey City, N.J., a daughter of the late Max and Shirley (Shorr) Silverman, she had lived in Cranston and Boynton Beach, Fla. She was a bookkeeper for Louis Fink and Co., in Providence, for 27 years, retiring in 1985. She attended the University of Connecticut and was a graduate of Bryant College, Class of ’48. She was the first president of the Bryant-Brown University Hillel. She was a member of Temple Am David and a founding member of Temple Torat Yisrael, served on its board and was a member of its Sisterhood. She was a life member of Hadassah, a member of Women’s
American ORT and the Miriam Hospital Women’s Auxiliary. Devoted mother of Sharon Fink-Custis and her husband Howard of Johnston and David Fink and his wife Heleene of Marblehead, Mass. Dear sister of Dyane Kreisler of Elmsford, N.Y., and Brenda Danovich of West Yarmouth, Mass. Loving grandmother of Rebecca Custis and her fiancé Ben Wong, and Adam and Bryan Fink. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Temple Am David, 40 Gardiner St., Warwick, R.I. 02888 or Hadassah, 121 Nanci Karen Drive, Warwick, R.I. 02886.
Naomi Gitman, 91
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Naomi Gitman, died Sunday, May 4, at Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center, Providence. Born in Worcester, Mass., a daughter of the late Isadore and Annie (Osterman) Nesvest, she was a lifelong Providence resident. Naomi was the secretary to the director of the former South Providence JCC, personnel officer for the State of Rhode Island and secretary to the chief personnel officer of the Social & Rehabilitative Services Department in Cranston. Upon retiring, she became manager of the Rhode Island Hemophilia Foundation. She was a frequent contributor to “Letters to the Editor” of the Providence Journal. Devoted mother of Brenda Bedrick and her husband Gerry of East Greenwich, Marcia Summers and her husband Eugene of Newton, Mass., and Joyce Robinson and her husband Russell of Providence. Loving grandmother of Amy and Charles Kantor, David and Jody Bedrick, P. Tyler Summers and Paige Robinson. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to