Theodore Cossman in Hillsborough, CA, April 17, 2007. Beloved and devoted husband of Toby Cossman for 45 years. Loving father of Susan, Barry and Stephen Cossman and Leslie Vorperian (Michael). Adoring grandfather of Kendra Cossman-Sprague and Jacob and Anna Vorperian. Dear uncle of Dede Steinfeld-Kenney (Paul).
A native of San Francisco and a member of Peninsula Temple Sholom and Pacific-Starr King Lodge No. 136, F. & A. M.
Funeral Services have been held. Memorial contributions may be made to the Stanford Cancer Center or the Rabbi Raiskin Fund of Peninsula Temple Sholom. Arrangements made by Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Morris “Dan” Dantzker died in his daughter’s home in Pleasanton, California on April 12, 2007. A resident of San Francisco since 1986, Dan’s roots remained in Washington, D.C. and New York City, where he was born 92 years ago. He was the only one of four children of immigrant parents from Luboml, Ukraine born in the United States. Dan survived his wife Mary by six years and is survived by three children and five grandchildren.
Beginning a lifelong commitment to education and learning, Dan graduated from the College of the City of New York with a B.S. in Chemistry in 1934. A course in logic at CCNY significantly influenced Dan’s thinking and work throughout his professional life. Forever grateful to CCNY for providing an outstanding, free education, Dan continued to monitor its graduates and support the College throughout his life. With the support of the U.S. Army, Dan obtained an M.B.A. from Ohio State University in 1955. He also attended the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1959 and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1963.
Dan was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1941 and commissioned a second lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps in 1942. During World War II, he served in Manila and Korea, and de-mobilized in 1946. He re-joined the Regular Army in 1947. In a twenty-five year military career, primarily in computer technology, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Korea Defense Service Medal and the Commendation Medal. In his last assignment, Dan held the position of Special Assistant to the Army Chief of Staff for Army Information and Data Systems before retiring as a Colonel in 1967.
Dan’s background in logic and information systems led him in 1969 to a second career with Con Edison of New York, where he eventually became Executive Vice President. He was part of the new management team that was brought in to assist the company refocus on customer service and system reliability.
In his first assignment he led a team in the successful development and deployment of one of the country’s first computer data base customer information retrieval systems, which would allow a service representative to see a customer’s records on a computer screen while talking to the customer. While commonplace now, such systems were at the outer edge of information technology at the time of the project.
Dan’s focus on customer service operations and the reliability of power distribution systems led to a substantial reduction in complaints and to system wide improvements that helped all employees deliver better service to the ratepayers. He remain committed his entire life to a company that he knew affected the lives of millions of residents every day and that was critical to the economic sustainability of the city he loved.
Dan retired from Con Edison in 1980 and became President of the Economic Development Council of New York City, Inc. where he coordinated efforts of business, labor and government to improve the economic development environment of New York City. He then went on to consulting career with Power Management Associates for utilities nationwide, before finally retiring in 1990.
A life long student of space, astronomy and the physical world, Dan was a voracious reader. At age 90 he read the whole of “The Origin of Species”, taking notes as he went, because he had never had time for it before. He was a supporter of “smaller or less is better” long before environmental impacts would be widely understood. For Dan, education never ended and he supported his children and grandchildren generously in their own schooling.
His family deeply mourns his passing, and will keep his adage that it is always better to share close to our hearts. A service and burial will take place in Arlington National Cemetery on June 13, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. Arrangements made by Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Armand Karp, on April 17th, at 87 years of age. Raised in San Francisco, moving to Concord in 1972. A retired Army Major and a Transportation Consultant to the trucking industry. An organist and joke teller extraordinaire and very active member of Congregation B’nai Shalom.
Loving husband of Phyllis for 57 years; devoted father to Douglas, Kenneth and Stanley Karp; dear grandfather of Alexander, Rebekkah, David and Samantha; brother of Jerome Karp.
Services were held by Sinai Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations maybe made to Congregation B’nai Shalom or charity of your choice.
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California