Obituaries | Jewish News https://jewishnewsva.org Southeastern Virginia: Chesapeake • Norfolk • Portsmouth • Suffolk • Virginia Beach Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:47:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 Joan Naomi Thompson https://jewishnewsva.org/joan-naomi-thompson/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:07:34 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36141 Marco Island, Fla. – Joan Naomi Thompson, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and cherished friend, passed away peacefully on August 19, 2026. She leaves behind a legacy of love, devotion, and family that will continue to live on through the generations.

Joan was the cherished wife of Berton Thompson, with whom she shared 43 wonderful years of marriage. Their love inspired everyone who had the privilege of seeing them together. Joan and Bert created a warm and loving family and a home filled with memories that will be treasured always.
Joan, a native of Norfolk, and Granby High alumna, was a loving mother to Stacie Shure (David Lerner) of Virginia Beach, Adam Shure of Virginia Beach, and Jami Quartararo (Alan) of Knoxville, Tenn. She took immense pride in each of them and found great joy in watching their lives unfold.

Her greatest joy was being a grandmother. She delighted in celebrating her four adoring grandchildren, Evan and Hannah Rabinowitz of Pittsburgh, Pa. and Paige and Abigail Quartararo of Knoxville. Joan treasured every moment with them and traveled to attend their milestones, birthdays, graduations, and mitzvahs. Her grandchildren knew how deeply they were loved, and they will carry the warmth of her love with them throughout their lives.

Those who knew Joan will remember her laughter, her love of music, and her love for the community she and Bert built at JCMI. But she will especially be remembered for her joy of baking – especially anything chocolate.

She leaves behind not only the sadness of her absence, but also the countless memories and enduring bonds that are a testament to the life she lived.

Funeral services were held at the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island with burial at Marco Island Cemetery.
Memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s Support Network at
https://support.network or at 1421 Pine Island Road, Suite 100, Naples, FL 34109.

]]> Merle S. Becker https://jewishnewsva.org/merle-s-becker/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:12:06 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36149 Princeton, NJ – Merle Louise Skoler Becker, 91, of Princeton, died on August 20, 2026, at Princeton Medical Center following a brief illness.

Merle was born on June 6, 1935, in New York City to Sam Skoler, an accountant, and Dorothy Fraiman, a homemaker. Merle’s mother Dorothy was an arts enthusiast who, despite a modest household budget, took both Merle and her younger sister Cara to a wide array of musical and theatrical performances. From a young age Merle showed an aptitude for music, giving her first piano recital at age five. She quickly became a skilled cello player as well; and one of her fondest memories was attending music camp at Interlochen Center of the Arts where she made lifelong friends. After graduating from what is now known as the LaGuardia High School of Music & Arts and Performing Arts, Merle continued her musical studies at Barnard College, earning a bachelor’s degree. She later completed a master’s degree in music education at Smith College. While working as a music teacher in New York City, she was set up on a blind date with Dr. William Becker, a dentist from Norfolk, Va. who had also grown up in New York City. On their first date, Merle famously played a piano duet with her sister Cara in the parlor to entertain him.

Merle and Bill were married in 1959 and began to raise their family in Norfolk. A diehard New Yorker, Merle steadfastly maintained her N.Y. driver’s license, holding out the slender hope that she and Bill would return to the city of their birth. Eventually, she embraced life in Norfolk, playing cello in the Virginia Symphony and participating in the local Jewish community. Every summer she drove her sons to the Catskills so they could spend several weeks with her parents and Cara’s family.

While raising her boys Merle gave music lessons to neighborhood children and later became a music teacher at Norfolk Academy. Over time she transformed the school’s music department from a single room with a piano into an extremely popular, multidisciplinary program that included orchestra, choir, theater, and dance. In a sense, Merle brought NYC to NA. She ultimately served as chair of the Fine Arts Department for several years and mentored many students who went on to pursue careers in the arts.

After retiring from teaching, Merle continued to play cello in a chamber music quartet and assisted Bill in managing his dental practice. She also spent as much time as possible in New York City seeing shows and exhibits with her cherished sister Cara, whose daughters Margot and Sabrina she dearly loved. Always a loving and attentive mother, Merle kept in constant contact with her four adult sons, supporting and encouraging them through every stage of life. When speaking with Merle on the phone, it was not unusual to hear her exclaim, “I got the beep!” when one of the other family members called at the same time. As the grandchildren arrived, Merle showered them with love, gifts, and time–including trips to the beach, pool, museums, aquarium, even the Metropolitan Opera. Cheerful, energetic, and patient, she was an amazing grandmother.

When Merle and Bill began to find it challenging to live in Virginia far from their sons, they moved to Princeton. Merle accepted aging, relocation, health issues, and the loss of her husband Bill with tremendous grace and dignity. In recent years she enjoyed frequent visits from her children and grandchildren and developed new friendships with her fellow residents at 55 Witherspoon Street and other devotees of the Princeton Public Library. She never lost her passion for music and played her childhood cello until both she and the instrument became too fragile. Even in her last year she delighted in attending musical performances at the library, Hinds Plaza, the McCarter, and Richardson Auditorium.

Merle was predeceased by her beloved husband Bill (2018). She is survived by her four sons: Richard (Rachel), Paul (Lori), Daniel (Madeleine), Sam (Jennifer); grandchildren Olivia, Ben, Hannah, Joshua, Sophia, Corey, Robbie, Emily, and Kate; nieces Margot, Sabrina, Dana, Jodi, and Randi; and many friends.

A funeral service was held at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton. To honor Merle’s lifelong passion for the arts and education, donations may be made to the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, N.J. or the Princeton Public Library.

]]> Edythe Colton Harrison https://jewishnewsva.org/edythe-colton-harrison/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:11:08 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36147 Boca Raton, Fla. – Edythe Colton Harrison, a Virginia civic leader, arts advocate, legislator, and political pioneer, whose career was closely identified with Norfolk and the development of performing arts in Virginia, passed away peacefully in the presence of her devoted family and caregivers on the afternoon of September 1, 2026.

Harrison came from Detroit, Michigan. She grew up in a loving home, a home filled with music. Her mother, Lottie (Sultan) Colton, trained in Paris to be a concert pianist. Her mentor was Wanda Landowska, one of the most influential keyboard musicians of the 20th century. Her father, Dr. Arthur Colton, a prosperous dentist, was a talented tenor and opera enthusiast. Harrison revered her parents, revered how they frequently sang together, how her father danced with her, his zest for life.

She credited the love and trust of her parents for the fearless self-confidence with which she led her life. “They had faith in me. They never corrected me. I never, ever felt fear,” Harrison said.

In 1954, Harrison met Stanley L. Harrison, a young real estate executive from Norfolk, at a fraternity social weekend. It was love at first sight. The two became inseparable. They married at the Colton home in Detroit, on December 3, 1955, and remained deeply in love until Mr. Harrison’s death on June 11, 1991.

The newlyweds settled in in Norfolk in 1956. There, they raised a son, Tim, and two daughters, Jody, and Julie. Although an outsider from north of the Mason-Dixon Line, at a time when that mattered much more than it does today, Harrison loved her city as fiercely as any native, and Norfolk, in time, came to love her back.

Harrison’s civic conscience became apparent during the Jim Crow era. She allied herself with the civil rights movement, campaigning door to door in her Larchmont neighborhood against Massive Resistance to Brown v. Board of Education, when Norfolk closed its public schools rather than integrate them. These were difficult years. Her advocacy required courage. She never wavered. Nor did her husband, on whose constant support, support courageous in its own right, she relied more on than many people understood. She saw what was right, and advocated with conviction for what was right, and prevailed. Thus, was established a major theme of her life, a theme that influenced everything that followed.

Asked her occupation, Harrison liked to answer, “professional volunteer.” That was a characteristically modest description of one of the broadest civic careers Norfolk has ever known. She gave her energy to causes ranging from the arts and education, to day care for working mothers, to equal rights for women, to interfaith understanding, serving variously with the Women’s American ORT, the Greater Norfolk Corporation, the Norfolk Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the President’s Advisory Council of Old Dominion University, the Board of Trustees of Norfolk State University, the Regional Hospice Council of Tidewater, the Virginia Alliance for Arts Education and the National Conference of Christians and Jews, which honored her with its Brotherhood Award in 1978.

Her most enduring gift to the Commonwealth began in 1974, when the daughter of a concert pianist and an opera-loving tenor organized the Virginia Opera Association and became its founding chair. That first season consisted of two productions at the Norfolk Center Theater, a largely abandoned WPA-era arena in Ghent. From that modest beginning grew one of the most important and successful cultural institutions in the Commonwealth, an institution that brought national recognition to Norfolk for the quality of its performances. In 1994, the General Assembly designated Virginia Opera the Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Harrison led a campaign that raised some $10 million, an unheard-of amount at the time, to transform the Center Theater into an architecturally significant modern opera house. The facility was named the Edythe C. and Stanley L. Harrison Opera House, in honor of her and her husband’s contributions to the cultural life of the city, and remains the home of the company she founded. In 1979, in recognition of her leadership, President Jimmy Carter appointed Harrison to the Advisory Committee on the Arts of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

In 1979, Harrison sought and won election as a Democrat to represent Norfolk in the Virginia House of Delegates, taking office in January 1980. She served on committees concerned with the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, conservation, and natural resources, education, interstate cooperation, and labor and commerce. She championed the cause of women’s medical rights, fighting for legislation requiring physicians to obtain informed consent from women with cancer before performing mastectomies. Redistricting brought her House career to a close after a narrowly decided 1982 primary, but she was far from finished. In 1984, Harrison won the Democratic nomination to run for election representing Virginia in the United States Senate. She became the first woman ever to seek statewide office in the Commonwealth. In a difficult year for Democrats, she won more than a million votes, all across the state. Her campaign opened a door that to women had been forever closed, and she is remembered as a prominent member of a pioneering generation of women in Virginia statewide politics.

She loved teaching what she had learned. She founded the Women’s Studies Department at Old Dominion University and became its first chair. Among the courses that she taught was one titled, Women in Leadership. Her papers, including those documenting her political life and her 1984 campaign, are preserved in the University’s Special Collections and Archives. In 2010, the Library of Virginia included her as one of Virginia’s Woman in History, recognizing her contributions to the Commonwealth in both civic life and the arts.

Arts founder, volunteer, legislator, advocate for women, educator, candidate: to those who knew her, those were never separate careers. They were different expressions of a single conviction – to do what was right, to advocate for what was right, to have, as she often repeated, “the courage of your convictions.” She advocated with warmth, humor and the fearless self-confidence with which her parents had imbued her. She knew that a community is only as good as what its citizens are willing to make of it.

Harrison was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Stanley. She is survived by her son Tim (Caroline), her daughters, Jody (Martin) and Julie, her grandchildren Leila, Sharla (Dan), Noah, Tim, Alice, Aliza and Josh, her great-grandchild Caroline, and her brother, Dr. Victor Robert Colton.

A graveside service took place at Forest Lawn Cemetery, followed by a memorial service Ohef Sholom Temple. The family suggests memorial gifts to Women’s American ORT and the Cleveland Clinic, Florida, or to a charity of the donor’s choosing.

]]> Blanche Bowman Nusbaum https://jewishnewsva.org/blanche-bowman-nusbaum/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:09:28 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36145 Virginia Beach – Blanche Bowman Nusbaum, 90, passed away peacefully in her home at Westminster-Canterbury on September 1, 2026.

She was born in Richmond, Va. to the late Jane Myers Bowman and Louis O. Bowman, Sr. and was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Charles G. Nusbaum, Sr. and her dear twin brother Louis O. Bowman, Jr. Mrs. Nusbaum is survived by two adored sons, Charles G. Nusbaum, Jr. and his wife Kimberly Ann (Kim) of Denver, Col. and John M. Nusbaum and his wife Alexandra Schmertz (Lexy) of Rye, N.Y. Five grandchildren include Alexander Nusbaum of Denver, Olivia Nusbaum of Boulder, Col., Oliver and Felix Nusbaum of Boston, Mass. and Jasper Nusbaum of Manhattan. Mrs. Nusbaum also leaves behind her sister-in-law Eve Bowman of Richmond, and her beloved nieces, nephews and cousins, especially Cynthia and Stuart Katz of Norfolk – they phoned each other daily.

Blanche attended Mary Washington College and The Pan American Business School. For many years, Mrs. Nusbaum was active on the Auxiliary Board, and as a Pink Lady at Norfolk General Hospital. And she was a member of the Auxiliary Board of St. Mary’s Infant Home. Blanche was a member of Ohef Sholom Temple and its Sisterhood.

Always the gracious host, Blanche was instrumental in developing Westminster-Canterbury’s “buddy system,” where existing residents are matched to new residents to help them acclimate, meet others, and learn about activities.

Family was everything to Blanche, and she was incredibly devoted to them and to her friends. She thrived on planning and giving parties, playing doubles tennis for many years, and she and Charles Sr. loved traveling, especially on cruises. Blanche kept an active social schedule and enjoyed playing bridge several times a week.

The graveside burial was private. A memorial service officiated by Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg was held at the Chapel at Westminster-Canterbury.
Memorial contributions to the Westminster-Canterbury Foundation Fellowship Fund, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia or to a charity of the donor’s choosing.

]]> Myra Lipkin https://jewishnewsva.org/myra-lipkin/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:08:22 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36143 Boca Raton, Fla. – Myra Lipkin passed on August 31, 2026, at the age of 88.

Born on January 31, 1938, Myra was a resident of Boca Raton, and the aunt of Marty and Ina Leiderman.

]]> Diane B. Aftel https://jewishnewsva.org/diane-b-aftel/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:48:00 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36013 Norfolk – Diane Zaba Aftel, 87, of Norfolk, passed away peacefully in her home on August 15, 2026.

 She was born to the late Benjamin Zaba and Ruby Hillman Zaba. Diane was always very close to her late uncle, Sam Hillman, and her younger brother, Dr. Joel Zaba.

 Diane graduated from Maury High School in 1957 and attended many of her class reunions over the course of 55 years. She began her career working at the United States Custom House in Norfolk and later worked as a bookkeeper for her brother’s optometry practice.

 In 1960, she married Dr. Harvey Aftel, an optometrist, and they were married for 56 years. Together, they spent their entire married life on Shirley Avenue in the Ghent section of Norfolk. Diane was an active member of Ohef Sholom Temple.

 Diane is survived by her two loving sons, Brian H. Aftel and Andrew W. Aftel, both of Norfolk. She was a loving mother who was full of kindness, gentleness, compassion, and generosity.

 A funeral service was held at Ohef Sholom Temple, followed by burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Services were officiated by Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg and Cantor Jennifer Rueben.

 Condolences may be left online at AltmeyerFH.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Ohef Sholom Temple or to the Dementia Society of America at www.TMCFunding.com.

]]> Dr. Steven J. Becker https://jewishnewsva.org/dr-steven-j-becker/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:47:14 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36011 Burke, VA – Dr. Steven J. Becker, 78, died on August 9, 2026, in Burke, Virginia. 

 Born on June 6, 1948, in Jersey City, N. J., Steven is remembered as a loving husband and father, a man with a wonderful sense of humor, and a dedicated dentist.

 Education and learning were deeply important to Steven throughout his life. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis before earning his dental degree from the University of Kentucky. An avid reader with a lifelong curiosity, he particularly enjoyed learning about history, Judaism, and whatever new subject had captured his interest. Jewish learning and Jewish life were especially meaningful to him, and he was a longtime member of Congregation Beth El in Norfolk.

 Steven practiced dentistry for more than 40 years in Hampton, Va. Known as a gentle and caring dentist, he was deeply devoted to his patients. He came to work early, stayed late, and made himself available for emergencies. He was also known for making his patients laugh from the dental chair, sometimes making the work itself just a little more difficult in the process.

 He was preceded in death by his parents, Alan and Gabriela Becker. He is survived by his wife, Miriam; his children, David, Rachel, and Alan; and his brother, Denis.

 A graveside service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery. 

 Donations may be made in Steven’s memory to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America or Congregation Beth El. May his memory be a blessing.

]]> Barbara Rae Soroko Bowden https://jewishnewsva.org/barbara-rae-soroko-bowden/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:46:30 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36009 Virginia Beach – Barbara Rae Soroko Bowden died June 29, 2026, in her home in Virginia Beach. 

 Born in Portsmouth, Va. She was the daughter of the late Oscar Soroko and Mildred Hilles Soroko.

 Barbara will be remembered for her kindness, warmth, and the positive impact she had on the lives of those who knew her. Barbara cherished time with family and friends and will be deeply missed by all.

 Barbara is survived by her daughter Michelle Dawn Lugtu, grandchild Rashad, her beloved James Weber, son-in-law Daniel Jacob Lugtu, cousins Norman Soroko, Arlene Kessel, her nephew Brian Soroko and many extended family members and dear friends. The family appreciates the love and condolences during this time.

 A graveside service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery officiated by Cantor David Proser. 

]]> Lois (Cohen) Greenebaum https://jewishnewsva.org/lois-cohen-greenebaum/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:45:50 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36006 Baltimore, Md. – Lois (Cohen) Greenebaum passed away peacefully at the age of 95, surrounded her beloved family. 

 A highly intelligent and thoughtful woman, she led her life with integrity, strong values, purpose, and wisdom. She was the definition of a capable matriarch. She deeply valued friends and family.

 Born and raised in Charleston, S.C., she had a wonderful childhood and moved to Baltimore in 1949 to attend Goucher College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. Upon graduating in 1953, she married her beloved, Leonard Greenebaum who graduated from John’s Hopkins University. They met at the Suburban Club of Baltimore and were married in 1953. They remained deeply in love and committed to one another for nearly 70 years until his passing in 2022.

 Before beginning her family, Lois proudly taught third grade students at Fallstaff Elementary School. She enjoyed community service work and served on the board of directors of the National Council for Jewish Women. For most of her time in Baltimore she was a proud member of Har Sinai Congregation and then briefly Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. Lois and Leonard were lifelong, dedicated members of the Suburban Club where they enjoyed spending time with many friends, along with sharing their love of tennis and golf for years. Lois enjoyed many hobbies and took them very seriously, especially with her love for and dedication to the game of bridge, where she proudly accomplished the impressive achievement of reaching the Silver Life Masters level, earning over 1,000 points. In addition, she loved to travel and did so extensively throughout the world with her beloved husband Leonard, many friends, and extended family. Lois enjoyed gourmet cooking, writing poetry, flower arranging, entertaining, and appreciated fine art.

 However, most important to her was the family she began in 1957. She was a devoted mother of two girls, Lynn (Greenebaum) Sachs, and Carol (Greenebaum) Hess. As a caring and compassionate woman, she dedicated her life to raising her girls and made sacrifices to ensure they had a full and rich childhood, encouraging each of their natural interests. She instilled them with a great value system; encouraging hard work, perseverance, compassion, honesty, and integrity. In addition, she loved her sons-in-law, John Hess and Jeff Sachs and found such joy spending time with and traveling with the four of them to some of their favorite locations including St. Thomas, USVI, Palm Desert, Callif., and Naples, Fla. Later, she welcomed and loved whole heartedly her grandchildren and great grandchild, whom she also enjoyed sharing the world with—through travel and celebrating so many happy occasions together.

 Lois loved and valued her younger brother, Edgar Cohen, and often shared wonderful stories of their childhood in Charleston.

 Lois’s wisdom and grace will be cherished by her beloved surviving family members, brother- and sister-law: Edgar and Joy Cohen; daughters and son-in-law’s: Lynn and Jeff Sachs, Carol and John Hess; grandchildren: Julie Hess, Michael Hess (Aimee Hess), Sara Sachs, Rachel Sachs; and great granddaughter: Savannah Hess; nieces and nephews: Sue (Rich) Baxt and Nancy Greenebaum (Noel Levy); and great nieces.

 Services were private. Contributions in her memory may be sent to the Parkinson’s Foundation, Gilchrist Hospice Care, Crohn’s and Colitus Foundation, American Cancer Society, or the charity of the donor’s choice.

]]> Edward Legum https://jewishnewsva.org/edward-legum/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:44:33 +0000 https://jewishnewsva.org/?p=36004 Norfolk – Edward Legum, 97, of Norfolk, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

 Born in Norfolk and raised in Berkley, Eddie was the son of the late A.J. Legum and Bessie Padrasic Legum. He graduated from Maury High School and attended the Norfolk Division of William and Mary (now ODU). He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Ruth Radin Legum; his parents, and his siblings, Edith Legum Laderberg, Alfred Legum, Howard Legum, Herbert Legum, and Suzanne Legum Barr.

 He is survived by his daughters, Blaine Levenson (Stephen), Jonnice Berns (Adam), and Radine Legum; his grandchildren, Brooke Levenson (Michael Blum) and Brent Levenson (Deena Zeltser); his great-grandchildren, Emet and Mollie Blum and Eli and Cece Levenson. He is also survived by his brother, Stephen Legum (Carol Sue); and his sister-in-law, Shirley Legum; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends whose lives were enriched by knowing him.

 Following his family’s footsteps into the furniture business, Eddie established the Edward Legum Furniture Company, Inc., that had locations in Norfolk, Hampton, and Virginia Beach. For more than 50 years, he was involved in all aspects of the furniture business, including retail sales and furniture rental. He was active in the Furniture Rental Association of America and served as its president for several years.

 Eddie enjoyed sports of all kinds, as a player and a spectator. He was an avid tennis player who played regularly into his nineties. He and Ruthie were Virginia Squires season ticket holders in both Norfolk and Hampton, as well as having season tickets for the ODU Lady Monarchs and the Monarch football team.

 Eddie cared deeply about the people in his life – his family, friends, employees, and community. He assisted numerous causes with singular determination and quiet philanthropy. He was dedicated to honoring the legacy of the historic Jewish community in Berkley and was responsible for the Mikro Kodesh Cemetery there for many years.

 Above all else, his wife and children and their families were the center of Eddie’s life. He shared a wonderful 73-year marriage with Ruthie, and together they created a home filled with warmth, laughter, hospitality, and love. They treasured their many years together, building traditions and memories that remain a lasting part of their family’s life.

 Eddie took immense pride in his daughters and their achievements. He cultivated their sense of self-reliance by teaching each of them practical skills that would serve them well throughout their lives. He cherished time spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who adored him beyond measure. He celebrated their accomplishments and milestones while sharing his wisdom, kindness, and life lessons, always imparted with his unique sense of humor. It will be hard to fill his very big shoes (size 14).

 A graveside funeral service was held at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ohef Sholom Temple Radin Archives Fund, the ODU Center for Restorative Therapies, or a charity of the donor’s choice. 

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