Brandeis Magazine

Paul Ira Auerbach ’54, of New York City, on Aug. 15, 2019. An elder-law attorney who practiced in New York City and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, he was active in the Alumni Club of South Florida and served on the Class of 1954 Reunion Committee. Survived by wife Diane and two children.

Adrienne (Gewirtzman) Rockwood ’54, Brandeis National Committee, of Albany, New York, on Feb. 17. A thoughtful mentor to many as a director of Jewish nursery schools; a counselor; a social services administrator; and the co-founder of Senior Hope, a substance-abuse treatment clinic for seniors, she is recalled as being “full of life, energy, smiles and love.” Survived by husband William, five children, 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Sidney M. Shaer ’54, of Chestnut Ridge, New York, on April 23. A member of the third graduating class at Brandeis, a place he held dear to his heart, he worked in marketing and advertising at Olin Corp. in Stamford, Connecticut, and loved traveling, the Red Sox, hosting Thanksgiving extravaganzas and, most of all, spending time with his family. Survived by wife Janice, three children and seven grandchildren.

Mark S. Aronson ’55, G’21, Brandeis National Committee, of Woodland Hills, California, on Jan. 16. A member, along with wife Judith (Paull) ’55, G’21, of one of Brandeis’ first graduating classes, he was a vice president of Paperback Booksmith in Brookline; ran pet shops on Cape Cod and on the West Coast; and loved music, photography, world travel, convertible cars with fins and the California lifestyle. Survived by his wife; two children; daughter-in-law Pamela ’11; and three grandchildren, including Sam ’21.

Norman William Beberman ’55, G’13, of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, on March 16. Retired after a long career as an orthopedic surgeon and chief of orthopedics at Burbank Hospital, in Fitchburg, he enjoyed watching sunsets from his boat on Lake Whalom; golf; dancing; and traveling with his wife, Lesley. Survived by his wife, four children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Jacques Kornberg ’55, of Toronto, on May 9. As a professor of modern European history at the University of Toronto, he directed the Jewish studies program; established the Kornberg-Jezierski Family Memorial Essay Prize in Holocaust Studies, in memory of family members who perished; authored two books on modern Jewish history; and was a passionate lecturer and mentor to students. Survived by wife Mona, three children and 11 grandchildren.

Richard J. “Dick” Baldacci ’56, of Swampscott, Massachusetts, on March 25. An outstanding football player on both offense and defense, captain of the Brandeis varsity team and inductee into the Joseph M. Linsey Brandeis Athletics Hall of Fame, he taught art and coached at Swampscott High, where he painted a picture for the football team every Saturday, and introduced generations of students to a love of sports, art and jazz. Survived by wife Frances, three children and five grandchildren.

Louis Bauman ’57, of Covina, California, on May 7. A dermatologist who served patients with expertise and kindness for a half century, he was an accomplished pianist, a competitive tennis player and a diehard New York Giants baseball loyalist, recalled for his constant smile and the twinkle in his eye. Survived by wife Myrna, two daughters and four grandchildren.

Carole (Wolfe) Berman ’57, P’80, P’83, G’12, G’21, G’23, Brandeis National Committee, of Hingham, Massachusetts, on May 2. A teacher and travel agent who visited more than 125 countries on seven continents, she regularly took classes through the Brandeis Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, taught an adult-education course on current events for the BNC and was a dedicated friend. Survived by husband Joel; three children, including Steven Berman ’80 and Lori (Berman) Gans ’83; and six grandchildren, including Chet Berman ’12, Noah Gans ’21 and Josh Gans ’23.

Ronald I. Goldberg ’57, of Bradford, New Hampshire, on Oct. 31, 2019. A Boston University School of Medicine graduate who specialized in diagnostic radiology and family medicine, and practiced in Haverhill, Massachusetts, he is remembered for his humor and compassion with patients. Survived by wife Sandra, two children and two grandchildren.

Martha (Heyman) Liebmann ’57, of Blooming Grove, New York, on May 5. After entering Brandeis at age 15, she earned a PhD in psychology from Queens College, City University of New York; maintained family therapy practices in New York and New Jersey; and enjoyed life to the fullest, riding motorcycles and traveling the world. Survived by husband Richard, a daughter and three grandsons.

Frances Morrill-Schlitt ’57, of Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 9. Known to family as “Faigie,” she was a social worker over four decades in settings that included the Harlem, New York, and Concord, Massachusetts, schools; a cancer survivor; a feminist; a social democrat committed to the cause of single-payer health care; and an active member of the Newton Centre Minyan. Survived by a son.

Paul N. Brown ’58, of West Concord, Massachusetts, on Jan. 2. A lover of the outdoors and longtime assistant director of Camp Naticook, in Merrimack, New Hampshire, where he was known for his spirited camp-song renditions, he was a public-school educator and an active member of Temple Isaiah, in Lexington, Massachusetts. Survived by wife Abby, two children and four grandchildren.

Daniel B. Caplan ’58, of Atlanta, on March 14. A pioneer in pediatric gastroenterology at the Emory School of Medicine and Egleston Children’s Hospital, he treated his patients with skill and compassion, and loved food, wine, the Atlanta Braves and turtles of every variety. Survived by companion Connie Buchanan, three children and three grandchildren.

Elaine (Rosenblatt) Levitin ’59, P’81, Brandeis National Committee, of White Plains, New York, on April 12. A member of the Justice Brandeis Society, she took pride in her achievements as a wife, mother and grandmother, and as an educator who earned two master’s degrees while establishing a comprehensive special-education program in a public middle school. Survived by husband Martin; two children, including Deborah (Levitin) Markowitz ’81; and five grandchildren.

Harriet (Hodesblatt) Orenstein ’59, Brandeis National Committee, of Port Washington, New York, on March 24. A social services professional who spent the bulk of her career at CancerCare of Long Island, in Woodbury, ultimately running its office, she was the wife of the late Judge Jules “Jed” Orenstein and took pride in her family. Survived by two children and two grandchildren.