Obituaries

Melvin Abrahamson

Melvin Abrahamson of Sun City died March 20, 2001. He was 80. He was born in New Britain, Conn., and moved to Arizona in 1988 from Greenfield, Mass. He was a principal and teacher in Shelburne Falls, Mass., for 17 years, and owned and operated a used car business for 25 years. He was a Mason, a member of Massachusetts Teacher's Association and former president of Temple Beth Shalom in Sun City.

Survivors include his wife, Betty; daughter, Betsy Solomon of Ellicott City, Md.; son, Steven of Cairo, N.Y.; and three grandchildren.

Services were held at Temple Beth Shalom. Arrangements were by Sunland Mortuary. Contributions are suggested to American Diabetes Association, 9034 N. 23 Ave., #8, Phoenix 85021-2850; or Temple Beth Shalom, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City 85351.

Berde Jean Groff

Berde Jean Groff of Scottsdale died March 23, 2001. She was 69. She was born in Pittsburgh and moved to Arizona 29 years ago. She was a retired nursing home administrator.

Survivors include her daughter, Julie Buckley of Mesa; sons, Steven of Tucson and Harley of Texas; sister, Charlotte Rothman of Newton, Mass.; brother, David Hamburg of Pittsburgh; and seven grandchildren.

Services were held at Paradise Memorial Gardens with Rabbi Kenneth I. Segel officiating. Arrangements were by Sinai Mortuary.

Jerome Harris

Jerome Harris of Scottsdale died March 23, 2001. He was 89. He was born in New York City and moved to Scottsdale 16 years ago from New Jersey. He was a retired pharmaceutical writer and was employed for many years at Shering-Plough and CIBA Pharmaceutical Company as a writer of medical information.

Survivors include his wife, Estelle; daughter, Leslie of Scottsdale; son, Mark of Grand Junction, Colo.; and two grandchildren.

Arrangements were by Sinai Mortuary. Contributions are suggested to Jewish National Fund, 301 E. Bethany Home Road, Suite #A-213, Phoenix 85012.

Maxine Finson

Maxine M. Finson of Phoenix died March 24, 2001. She was 72. She was born in Cleveland and moved to Arizona 12 years ago. She was a homemaker and president of Women's American ORT, Desert Chapter and a member of United Order of True Sisters, Hadassah, Pioneer Women and B'nai B'rith.

Survivors include her daughters, Linda Dubois of Baton Rouge, La., and Pamela of Phoenix; son, Lowell of Phoenix; sister, Shirley Barbash of Margate, Fla.; brother, Harold Gerber of Margate; and four grandchildren.

Services were held at Sinai Mortuary Chapel, with Rabbi Mark J. Bisman officiating. Arrangements were by Sinai Mortuary. Contributions are suggested to Women's American ORT, Desert Chapter, 8034 E. Del Caverna Drive, Scottsdale 85258.

Tess Levine

Tess Levine, age 92, passed away Thursday, March 22, 2001 in Phoenix, Arizona. She moved to the Valley 24 years ago from her native New York City. She was a retired schoolteacher for the New York City school system and was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Morris Levine. Survivors include her son Bill Levine of Phoenix and daughter Karen Orenstein of New York City. 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren also survive. Funeral services and interment were held Friday, March 23rd in New York. Contributions in her memory are requested to The Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, c/o Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, 32 West Coolidge Street, Suite #200, Phoenix, Arizona 85013. Arrangements by Sinai Mortuary.

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