Obituaries ALPERN: Ferne Alpern (Silberman), passed away on July 28, 2020, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. She resided most of her life in White Oak, Pennsylvania, until living in Pittsburgh for a number of years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Jenny Silberman, and her brother Dr. Alfred Silberman. Ferne is survived by her son Mark and wife Linda Alpern; grandmother to Alexa Alpern and Brett Alpern, sister of the late Gladys Wintner, sister-in-law to the late Harold Wintner, aunt to Jack, Morton and Nancy Wintner. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. FISHER: Ralph Morton Fisher, 96, of Pittsburgh, passed away at 2:12 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020, in Pittsburgh. Ralph was born in Pittsburgh to Millard and Cecilia (Hecht) Fisher on Aug. 31, 1923. After graduating Taylor Allderdice High School, he went on to earn a business bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He worked in sales for Levenson Steel and spent 40 years selling products and services. After retiring, Ralph became a Realtor and spent part of the next 20 years working for Arnheim & Neely Realty. Ralph is survived by his four children, Jeffrey Fisher, Pittsburgh, Michael Fisher, Greenville, South Carolina, Debra Fisher Sufrin (Michael Sufrin), Boca Raton, Florida, and Melissa Fisher, Pittsburgh; his four grandchildren, Brandon Fisher and Gabrielle Fisher, Joshua (Keila) Sufrin, and Zackary (Nina) Sufrin; one great-grandchild, Jacob Sufrin; and nephew Douglas Myers (Gayle Howard Myers). He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara (Bobbie Swartz), parents and sister, Betty Fisher (Geoffrey) Myers. Ralph was a second lieutenant in the Army and served during WWII. His claim to fame was that he stopped the artillery from shooting down an unmarked plane. The passenger in that plane was Winston Churchill, on his way to the famous Yalta meeting with Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. Also, while stationed in France, Ralph was assigned to be the mayor of a French village for few months, as he knew at least six French words when no one else in his platoon did. Ralph was loved by his family and many friends. He will be remembered as one who loved to play tennis and make people laugh. Ralph enjoyed traveling. He was always there to lend a hand, compassionate toward others, and passionate about life. Memorial donations may be made to Weinberg Village, 300 JHF Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the Weinberg Village family. Services and interment were private. Arrangements entrusted to the new Elmer L. Herman Funeral Home. GALANTY: Sanford “Sonny” Galanty, dedicated husband, father, grandfather, business owner and community servant (and golfer) passed away on Monday, July 27, at home in O’Hara Township at the age of 91. Sonny was born Sept. 30, 1928, in Pittsburgh, to Harry and Bertha Glass Galanty. When Sonny was 1, the family moved from Indiana to Sharpsburg, where Harry Galanty opened a confectionary that became Galanty’s Hardware a few years later. Sonny and his older sister Ruthe grew up near the store and attended Sharpsburg’s elementary and middle school. When Sonny was in PITTSBURGHJEWISHCHRONICLE.ORG
10th grade the family moved again, to Mellon Street in Pittsburgh’s East End, where he attended Peabody High School. After graduating he attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning a degree in business and serving in the ROTC but every day after classes he took the streetcar to Sharpsburg to work until 9 p.m. with his parents in the hardware store, which he would eventually come to own. Fun-loving and active, Sonny enjoyed skiing in Europe and was a talented table tennis player. He began golfing when he was 17 and played regularly until his 90th birthday, teaching the game to others and, after retirement, enjoying twice-a-week rounds with a standing group of special friends. One of his greatest achievements was shooting a score of 82 on his 84th birthday. Sonny’s greatest achievement in life, however, was his family. He met his wife Jan (Swab) on a blind date when he was 31 and she was 20. They married three years later and had a love affair as best friends and partners, an amazing team that met life’s challenges with strength and mutual support at every turn — even building two houses from scratch. Sonny and Jan, who recently celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary, lived first in Stanton Heights, where they began a family with late son Harry (Liz Belanger) and daughter Jill Gallagher (Bill). Sonny loved his family with every ounce of his being, working day and night at Galanty’s Hardware to send them to the best schools and provide them with every opportunity possible including special vacations, a tradition that continued as the family grew to include grandchildren Samantha Belanger and Liam and Taryn Gallagher. Sonny’s pride in and love for his grandchildren was especially evident via the white sweatshirts with their pictures on the front that were his attire of choice. Each year he received a new shirt with new pictures, allowing him to keep Samantha, Liam and Taryn as well as stepgrandson Ben Belanger close to his heart and to watch them grow into accomplished young adults. Sonny was grounded in his Jewish faith throughout his life, as a lifelong member of B’nai Israel Synagogue in East Liberty and continuing when it merged and became Adat Shalom Synagogue in Fox Chapel. Sonny loved his studies in Judaism, attending weekly Shabbat services at Adat Shalom where he was loved by the clergy, staff and other congregants and donating both financially and with his time to synagogue activities. He helped to sponsor others’ studies and became a dedicated supporter of Israel. Sonny’s 90th birthday was, appropriately, celebrated with a special Shabbat at Adat Shalom, attended by an overflow crowd of family and friends. Sonny’s generosity was reflected in the rest of his life as well. He was an active member of the Sharpsburg Rotary, volunteering at the annual Guyasuta Days festival each year — where, most recently, he helped to make and package funnel cakes. He also conducted bingo every Tuesday night for many years for residents of the Veterans Administration hospital. Services and interment were private. Donations in memory of Sonny Galanty can be made to Adat Shalom, the Sharpsburg Rotary Club, the Alzheimer’s Association or any animal welfare charity. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. schugar.com
Jewish Association on Aging gratefully acknowledges contributions from the following: A gift from … In memory of … A gift from … In memory of … Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elaine Belovitch Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Renee Weinstock Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne Harris Marvin R. Berk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samuel W. Berk Joel Broida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julius S. Broida Amalia Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rita Hertz Edward M. Goldston. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rebecca Goldstein Toby Perilman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Florence Perilman Toby Perilman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Harry Louik Toby Perilman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Esther Bennett Charlotte and Evan Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ethel Kwall Keith H. Rosenstock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Martin J. Rosenstock Andrea J. Sattler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Sattler Irwin & Annette Shapiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fannie Shapiro Jules Spokane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eli Spokane Richard S. Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rebecca Supowitz
THIS WEEK’S YAHRZEITS — Sunday August 9: Sadye Bowytz, Julius S. Broida, Bernard S. Davis, Irwin Sowie Fein, Lester A. Hamburg, Lois Hepps, Herman Hollander, Bessie Perr Miller, Esther Patkin, Theodore Somach, Gilbert Stein, Edward Stern, Rebecca Supowitz, Bella Weiner, Renee Weinstock Monday August 10: Sara J. Ansell, Earl Barmen, Esther Caplan, Harriet L. Cohen, Rebecca Lebenson, George Lisker, Paul A. Love, Joseph Siegman, Cora M. Strauss, David P. Zelenski Tuesday August 11: Liza Canter, Elizabeth Cohen, Leonard Ehrenreich, Esther Streng Finegold, Dr. Morris H. Glick, Bertha Klein, Harry Lipser, Harry H. Marcus, Rhea Mark, Sophie Masloff, Gussie Sacks, Morris Schwartz, Herbert Sternlight, Rose Zweig Wednesday August 12: Meyer David Elovitz, Fanny Kramer, Mary Lang, Hazel Pinsker Lemelman, Albert P. Levine, Zelman Lee Moritz, Tillie K. Morris, Irene I. Posner, Mollie Rothman, Samuel Selkovits, Gabe Shapiro, Melvin Tobias, Eva Ulanoff, Rabbi Hugo Unger, Sarah Wesely Thursday August 13: Sarah Aronson, Irwin George Berman, Nathan Corn, Milton David Daniels, Abraham Herman, Ida Garber Hytovitz, William Kaplan, Samuel S. Lewinter, Leon Loibman, Morris Middleman, Hazel Rose Newman, Samuel Simon, Harry Suttin, Leah Wekselman, Samuels Zionts Friday August 14: Eda Yitta Katron Ash, Etta Borof, Etta Borof, Charlotte Charapp, Lois Pearlman Diamond, Dora Fargotstein, David Finkel, Ronald Friedken, Arthur Friedman, Faye Glasser, Libbie Glasser, Rebecca Goldstein, John J. Gruene, Charles Laufe, Albert H. Levenson, Kenneth Phillip Levenson, Pauline Loibman, Anne P. Morris, Mary Plung, Harry Serbin, Clara Ida Shapiro, Harvey Edward Thorpe Saturday August 15: Samuel Danzinger, Abraham Gernstat, Samuel Green, Elliott Hansell, Jennie Herron, Richard Lebby, Dina Schiff, Tzulel Seiavitch, Hymen Weiss, Gussie Wright
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Please see Obituaries, page 20
PITTSBURGH JEWISH CHRONICLE
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