Jack Gross, a resident of Great Neck for 58 years, died on Oct. 28, 1998. Jack was born in Milo, ME, on June 17, 1926. At the age of 17, he hitchhiked to NYC to make his way in the world. In 1930, while working toward his law degree at St. John's University, he married Ruth Wientraub. Soon thereafter, he entered the wine and spirits trade, and in 1946 founded his own scotch whiskey and wine importing business, John Gross & Company of which he remained active senior partner until a week before he died.

Jack and Ruth moved to Great Neck and lived in Russell Gardens. Their two sons, Stephen and Michael, attended Great Neck schools from kindergarten through high school and were bar-mitzvahed at Temple Beth-El where Steve was married in 1966 to Susan Weiss who was also a resident of Great Neck.

Today, Steve lives in Washington, DC, where he is deputy chief of the National Labor Relations Board. Mike lives in Honolulu, where he is a clinical psychologist. Jack leaves six devoted grandchildren: Andy, Matt, Anisse, Erin, Ivy and Danielle. Jack is also survived by sister and brothers-in-law Mille and Julie Samuels (who have lived in Great Neck for 50 years) as well as a younger sister Anne Rayman and younger brother Ed Gross.

Jack lived boldly and big. Everyone who knew him knew that they could count on him...absolutely. His word was as good as gold. His powerful presence will be sorely missed.

Adeline Keival, of Great Neck, died on Oct. 30, 1998. Wife of the late Harold. Mother of Ellen Kieval, Melanie Harding, Robert and Kay Keival. Grandmother of Zachary and Bradley, Natasha and Mariel. Sister of Rose Rodis, Frances Schwartz, Anita Kusnetz and Ruth Blumenthal. Arrangements were made by Riverside-Nassau North Chapels of GN. Donations can be made to the National Council of Jewish Woman or Hospice Care Network, Westbury.

Mordecai Dancis, "Mordy" to his family and friends, was born 86 years ago in Bayonne, NJ, third of the five children of Sarah and Abraham (Ab) Goldberg. Like his brilliant, Zionist father, he had a way with words and people.

Mordy met Eugenie Skern (his "Gee-Gee") at summer camp and they were married in 1936. Mordy's young wife was a physical education teacher specializing in modern dance. Dancing was something Mordy and Gee-Gee had in common. Not only as a young couple, but throughout their lives, they enjoyed dancing and when Mordy and Gee-Gee stepped out onto the dance floor, the other couples would return to their seats to admire them.

A successful NY lawyer in partnership with Howard Silverman, Mordy devoted his best years to politics within the Democratic Party, first as leader of Great Neck, where he resided for some 40 years, then as leader of the Township of N. Hempstead. Although he never ran for office, he was often instrumental in the choice of candidates. His Democratic friends and admirers organized two testimonial dinners in his honor, in 1961 and 1968.

In 1986 Mordy and his wife retired to Florida where, three years later, Gee-Gee lost her long, courageous fight against cancer. Mordy nursed his beloved Gee-Gee personally until the very end.

He is survived by his twin daughters, Amy and Barbara, named for their grandfather "Ab." Amy lives on the French Riviera with her husband, Jean Roger Laborde and their two children, Linda and Pascal. Barbara and her husband, Charles Gholz, make their home in Falls Church, VA, outside of Washington, DC. They have a son, Eugene, and a daughter, Abigail.

Mordy, your family and friends wish to express publicly their strong feelings of loss. Your clear mind and breadth of vision guided many of us. Your generosity was unfailing. It is not easy to imagine that you are no longer here to put things into perspective. We love you, and we will miss you!

A memorial service will be held on Nov. 9 at 4:30 p.m. at North Shore Towers, building 2, 279 Grand Central Pky., Floral Park