Obituary: Jesse Lehman

Jesse Lehman
Jesse Lehman, a successful printer who took on a new career in his 50’s and served for nearly 20 years as a volunteer lawyer, died at his home in Floral Park on Sept. 16, 2010. He was 95.

A native New Yorker, Mr. Lehman graduated from the McBurney School and then from the University of Wisconsin in 1935. Encouraged by his father to join the family’s commercial printing business, he completed a pioneering program in printing management at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1937. After working in related industries, he joined his father’s company, The Georgian Press, Inc. in 1940.

Obituary: Carol Kraft

Carol Kraft
Carol Kraft, Sept. 14, 2010. Carol lived life to the fullest extent. She was a caring and thoughtful sister to brothers, Bob and Ed, and aunt to nephew John. Carol loved to travel and shared many great experiences with her friend Ruth. Carol dedicated her life to teaching and worked for many years in the Great Neck School District. She was a guidance counselor at Great Neck High School South when she retired. After retirement she dedicated many years to the Great Neck Retired Teachers Association. Memorial visitation Sept. 25 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Fairchild Funeral Chapel, 1570 Northern Blvd., Manhasset. Donations may be made to the United Methodist Church, 35 Middle Neck Rd., Port Washington, NY 11050.

Obituary: Janet Hamburg

Janet Hamburg

Janet Hamburg, professor of dance at the University of Kansas and an internationally known movement analyst and lecturer, died unexpectedly on Sept. 4, 2010 in New York City. Hamburg was preceded in death by her mother Helen; her father Sydney; and her sister Amy. She is survived by her partner of 30 years, Lynn Bretz, of Lawrence, KS; two aunts, Stella Hyman, Wayne, NJ, and Sandy Blackman, Brooklyn; and many cousins, including Sy Wolke and his wife, Caren of New York City, Lil Sitomer, Josh Blackman and wife Liz, all of Brooklyn and Jonathan and Adam Blackman, Los Angeles.

Obituary: Barbara M. Leslie

Barbara M. Leslie
Barbara M. Leslie, a native and lifelong New Yorker known to friends and family as “Bobby,” passed away on Aug. 29, 2010 at the age of 86. Wife of 60 years to the late Seymour “Cy” Leslie and daughter of the late Florence and George Miller, Bobby is survived by her sister Sally (Larry); loving daughters, Ellen, Janie and Carol; her admiring grandchildren, Julie (Dan), David (Ariana), Sara (Jeff) and Ben; and her adoring great-grandchildren, Jack and William.

Obituary: Morrie Yohai

Morrie Yohai, 90, a longtime resident of Kings Point, died on July 27, 2010. He was a poet. Son of the late Robert and Marie Yohai. Husband of Babs Yohai. Father of Robert Yohai. Brother of Bea Forest, Lorraine Pinto and the late Lillian Barish. Arrangements were made by Riverside-Nassau North Chapels, Great Neck. Services were held on July 30 at Temple Beth El of Great Neck with Rabbi M. Feldman officiating. Interment Mount Hebron Cemetery, Flushing.

Obituary: Charles J. Miller

Charles J. Miller, age 87, of Manhattan, former Great Neck resident died of complications from cancer surgery on July 22, 2010. Charles grew up on the Upper West Side during the 1920s and 30s. He graduated from the Horace Mann School and New York University. He was a WWII combat veteran who served with distinction in Europe. After the war, Charles returned to a top position at the family business, I. Miller & Sons, maker of “beautiful” women’s shoes. He was involved in all aspects of the business, especially shoe design and U.S. sales. Following the sale of the company in 1959, Charles and his late brother, Robert Miller, acquired D.H. Blair & Co., a Wall Street securities firm, where Charles was the managing partner into the early 1970s. In the mid-1970s, Charles’ career began a third phase. He returned to school and obtained advanced training at Columbia and the Postgraduate Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. He had practiced as a psychoanalyst continuously since the early 1980s.

Charles and his family lived in Great Neck in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He was active in PTA, Little League, and Democratic Party politics.

Obituary: Lena Bittenson

Lena Bittenson 1914-2010

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lena (Lee) Bittenson. Born in 1914, Lena was the sixth of seven children of Eastern European immigrants and grew up on New York’s Lower East Side. She married Abraham Bittenson in 1935. Trained as a teacher, Lena never pursued a career in the classroom, but instead, to her children’s delight, was home with them while running a small family business with her loving and admiring husband. At age 50, Lena began a career in Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s Statistical Bureau, preparing demographic bulletins for the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics and eventually training actuarial students.

Obituary: Eleanor F. Tessler

Eleanor F. Tessler
Eleanor F. Tessler, 88, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2010, lovingly surrounded by members of her immediate family. Born Eleanor Licht in Brooklyn on Jan. 28, 1922, she earned a bachelor’s degree from CCNY and her master’s from Columbia Teacher’s College. She met and married Ted Tessler (1919 – 1981) in 1950 and moved to Great Neck two years later. Eleanor was widely known for her culinary talents, studying at the Cordon Bleu in Paris, training with Chinatown chef and teacher Florence Lin, and ultimately teaching Chinese cooking classes in her Kensington home in the 1970s. She traveled extensively throughout the world and worked as a travel agent for 20 years. Eleanor was an avid community volunteer, contributing her time to numerous progressive causes, non-profit organizations and campaigns in support of the arts in Great Neck and beyond. She loved film, theater, dance, fiction, and the visual arts, and most of all, sharing quality time with family and a broad circle of loyal and cherished friends. She will be profoundly missed.

Eleanor is survived by her children, Jonathan, Lisa and Jamie and their families, including grandchildren, Joanna, Jessica, Julian and Theo. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested that donations may be made in her memory to the Great Neck Senior Center, Womanspace, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Southern Poverty Law Center or Doctors without Borders.

 

Obituary: Olivia Dixon Ferguson

Olivia Dixon Ferguson
Olivia D. Ferguson passed away on June 26, 2010, lovingly surrounded by members of her immediate family. Olivia lived in Great Neck for over 45 years and worked for over 10 years at North Shore University Hospital and for over 25 years with CLASP, the foster grandparent program, where she was honored twice by CLASP—once for her 18th year anniversary; and in 2008 for over 25 years of service. She received certificates from the state, county and local governments. Olivia was a faithful and active member of St. Paul AME Zion church of Great Neck since 1965. She sang in the Gospel Chorus; was President of the Willing Workers; served as the chairperson of the Hospitality for the Gospel Chorus; served on the church’s Hospitality Committee; member of the Missionary Society; vice president of the Busy Bees; member of the Missionary Choir; vice president of the Pastor’s AID board; and member of the Scholarship Fund.

Obituary: Dr. Sherry Gaines Cutler

Dr. Sherry Gaines Cutler
Dr. Sherry Gaines Cutler, 60, of Great Neck, died comfortably on July 11, 2010, surrounded by family, after a heroic 6-year battle against metastatic breast cancer. Sherry is survived by devoted husband George Cutler, beloved son Andrew Gaines, loving mother Adeline Dorfman, cherished brother and sister Bobby and Vicky, sister and brother-in-law Amy and Marty, nephews Michael, Daniel, Josh, Ian, and nieces Bonnie and Rachel. Dr. Cutler earned a doctorate and 3 masters degrees in psychology, education and school administration and supervision. She served many years as a bilingual school psychologist for the New York City Board of Ed, in addition to her private practice. Sherry loved hosting family events and we will miss her contagious howling laughter. Funeral services were held at Temple Emanuel of Great Neck on July 13.