>HARRY H. GASSON -  83 - Certified Life Underwriter
BOYNTON BEACH - Mr. Harry Gasson who was a Lakeland resident from 1977 to 1998, passed away on July 23 at 5:55 p.m. He was born in Chicago on Jan. 24, 1925, and graduated from the University of Illinois, class of 1947. He sold insurance, but his true love was teaching, mentoring, and public service. He helped build, found, and was past president of Temple Beth Shalom in Satellite Beach; member Temple Emanuel, Lakeland; and member Temple Beth Shalom, Winter Haven. He was a member of Citrus Kiwanis, Brevard County Family Services Board, and was recently appointed to the Executive Committee of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party. He was also a member of B'nai B'rith and an associate member of Hadassah.  His greatest joy was his family, beginning with his four children, and extending to his stepchildren, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He had a love of life and a great sense of humor and integrity. He had a passion for travel, which he indulged with his first wife, Rosalie, who passed away in 1993, and for the past 14 years, with his beloved wife Sandy. He will be missed by all who knew him. >In addition to his wife Sandy, he is survived by his children and their spouses: Karen (Rob Maline), Alexandria, VA., William (Rochel), Pittsburgh, PA., David (Ellen), Bridgewater, MA., Jonathan (Diane), Novato, CA.; stepson Jay (Debbie Adleman); stepdaughter Amy (David Zorn); grandchildren: Aaron, Emma, Jonah, Robin, Charlie, Eli, Moshe, Raizel, Sara, Olivia, Michelle, Brittany, Andrew, Jocelyn, Rebecca, Stephanie, Dirreck, and Scott; great grandchildren: Megan, Mora, Michael, Marcus, and Madison. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. today (Friday) in the Temple Emmanuel Section of Oak Hill Cemetery in Lakeland. –Ledger, July 25, 2008

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Helen Riveli Goldberg of Lakeland died of congestive heart failure Saturday (April 15, 2006) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Born March 22, 1912, in Lithuania, Mrs. Goldberg moved to Lakeland from Eveleth, Minn., 28 years ago.  She worked as a teacher and homemaker. She attended Temple Emanuel, Lakeland. She was a lifetime member of the Hadassah.  > Mrs. Goldberg was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred Goldberg.  >She is survived by her daughters, Elaine Felder, Highland Park, Tamara Serebrin, Lakeland; and four grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. today at Gentry-Morrison Dukes-Steen Funeral Home Chapel. – Ledger, April 17, 2006

>JULES GROSSFIELD- 89 -  Citrus Grove Owner

LAKELAND -- Mr. Jules Grossfield of Lakeland died of heart failure Saturday (April 17, 2004) at home. Born in New York on May 13, 1914, he came to Lakeland from New Jersey in 1957. He was a retired citrus grove owner. He was an Army veteran of World War II. He was Jewish. He attended Temple Emanuel. > Mr. Grossfield was preceded in death by his first wife, Belle Grossfield.  >He is survived by his wife, Edith Bradman; sons, Neal Grossfield, Lakeland, and Jeffrey Grossfield, Tampa; sister, Ruth Pollock, Pompano Beach; and three grandchildren. Graveside services will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Temple Emanuel Cemetery. Dukes-Steen Funeral Home.-Ledger,April 20, 2004

>MARLENE JOYCE CREGO  HOFFMAN – 68 - State of Florida
SILVER SPRINGS, MD. - Marlene Joyce Hoffman, formerly of Lakeland, died Thursday, May 10, 2007 in Silver Springs, MD of cancer. She was born August 12, 1938 in Pontiac, Michigan to Archie and Blanche Klein Crego and moved to Lakeland in 1985 from California. Marlene was a substance abuse counselor for the State of Florida and retired in 1989. > She is preceded in death by her father and a daughter, Debra Hoffman. > Marlene is survived by her mother, Blanche Crego ;  sons, Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman and his wife, Ziva of Silver Springs, MD and Todd Hoffman and his wife, Susan of Largo, FL; a sister, Junis Zumberg of Lansing, MI and seven grandchildren. Lakeland.     .  Graveside funeral services will be held Sunday at Temple Emanuel Cemetery, Lakeland - with Rabbi Eddie Fox officiating. Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes, Dukes-Steen Chapel, of Lansing, MI;  Ledger, May 12, 2007 

TAMPA -- Mr. Robert Levitt of Tampa, formerly of Lakeland, died of heart failure Saturday (Feb. 1, 2003) at St. Joseph's Hospital. Born in New York, he received his B.A. and M.A. from City College of New York. He was a retired U.S. Army colonel, and a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War and a recipient of the Bronze Star. He was a graduate of the Advanced Infantry College. After a military career of 30 years, he was the registrar at Florida Southern College, also the director of admissions at the University of South Florida for more than 10 years. He was a member of the Retired Officers Association, Reserve Officers Association, National Association of Uniformed Services, Jewish War Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, and the American Legion. For more than 30 years, he was a member of Temple Emanuel, Lakeland; and an officer of the congregation.  >  Mr. Levitt is survived by his wife, Selma Levitt, Tampa; sons, Myles H. Levitt, St. Petersburg, Mark E. Levitt, Tampa; stepson, Robert Rosenthal, Tampa; stepdaughter, Razel Wolf, Phoenix, Ariz.; sister, Eleanor Brilliant, New Jersey; and nine grandchildren.  Funeral services will be Tuesday at Temple Schaarai Zedek, 3303 W. Swann Avenue, Tampa. Interment will follow at 12 noon at Temple Emanuel Cemetery in Lakeland with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Lifepath Hospice, or Temple Schaarai Zedek. Beth David Funeral Chapel, Tampa. –Ledger, Feb.3, 2003

NALCREST -- Mrs. Lillian Dubin of Nalcrest died of complications due to old age Monday (March 10, 2003) at Winter Haven Health and Rehab. Born in Minsk, Russia, on July 9, 1910, she came to Nalcrest from New York in 1965. She was a retired administrative secretary in the hotel industry. She was a member of Temple Emanuel.
> Mrs. Dubin is survived by her daughter, Sally Oster, Rochester, N.Y.; brother, Hyman Kusnetz, Brooklyn, N.Y.; one granddaughter. Dukes-Steen Funeral Home - Ledger, March 13, 2003

LONGWOOD -- Mr. Leonard Wolf of Lakeland died of kidney failure Saturday (May 6, 2006) in Longwood. Born Nov. 24, 1918, in Paterson, N.J., Mr. Wolf was a longtime resident of Lakeland before moving to Longwood. He was president of Nat Wolf Corp. He served as president of Temple Emanuel and was the chair of the building committee. He received the national Tau Epsilon Phi Man of the Year Award in 1991. > Mr. Wolf is survived by his wife of 59 years, Rhoda Wolf; children, Susan Scheinberg, Miami, Robert Wolf, Lakeland, Michael Wolf, Gainesville, and Laurie Altshuler, Longwood; and six grandchildren. Services will be Tuesday at Temple Emanuel, Lakeland. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Temple Emanuel in Lakeland, Temple Israel in Longwood or the University of Florida Foundation. – Ledger, May 8, 2006

RHODA SHARON BERNARD WOLF – 90 -   w/o - Leonard Wold

LONGWOOD - Rhoda Wolf, for more than six decades, a resident of Central Florida, passed away on January 11, 2017, in Longwood. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years, Leonard Wolf, by the parents she adored, Harry and Fanny Bernard, by her parents-in-law to whom she was selflessly devoted, Nat and Mollie Wolf, and by the siblings she cherished, Helen Low (Jack) and Leon Bernard (Shirley). > She is survived by four loving children and their spouses who she always treated as her own: Susan (Bruce) Scheinberg of Miami, Robert (Vicki) Wolf of Lakeland, Michael (Betty) Wolf of Gainesville, and Laurie (Don) Altshuler of Maitland. She had a close and special connection with all six of her grandchildren: Jeremy (Rachel) Scheinberg, Leslie (Saul) Mishkin, Daniel Wolf, Joshua Altshuler, Rachel (Bernie) Kramer, and Alissa Cronin. In her later years, Rhoda was blessed with five great grandchildren: Sophia, Jake, Olivia, Taylor, and Carly. She had a special bond with her niece, Roberta Levene, and her family.  A native New Yorker, Rhoda was a proud graduate of Lafayette High School in Brooklyn and (somehow) a Giants baseball fan. After World War II, she met Leonard, then from Paterson, New Jersey, and they lived in the North until they moved with their two oldest children to Lakeland in 1951. Rhoda spent more than half a century in Lakeland, but she never lost her Brooklyn accent. She was a homemaker who raised four children, an active member of Temple Emanuel Sisterhood, and a volunteer par excellence. A voracious reader, she devoted countless hours to the library at Temple Emanuel. She directed some of her boundless energy to Lakeland General Hospital (now Lakeland Regional Health), where she volunteered in the gift shop for many years. Rhoda's friendliness was universal. She was beloved by people from all walks of life, from all parts of town, from all religions and races. Her inseparable best friend for more than sixty years, Althea Miller of Lakeland, was like a sister to Rhoda, and the Millers and the Wolfs have been closely linked for generations. Services for Sura Rifka bas Tzvi Hirsch u'Frieda will be held on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at Temple Emanuel in Lakeland. Interment will follow at Temple Emanuel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Temple Emanuel in Lakeland or the Price Library of Judaica at the University of Florida. Services entrusted to Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, 640 Lee Road, Orlando. 407.599.1180. – Ledger, Thur. Jan. 12, 2017

LAKELAND - Mrs. Deborah Francine Ross, passed away Friday, Feb. 20, 2009 due to cancer.  She was born in Boston, MA, moved to this area in 1989. Mrs. Ross is retired from Polk County as a coordinator of volunteer services. She is a member of Temple Emanuel, Dixieland Lions Club, and Polk County Family Caregivers. Mrs. Ross was a volunteer at Lakeland Regional Medical Center and served on the committee for The Lakeland Ledger's Newspaper with a Heart.  > She is survived by husband, Richard of Lakeland; sons: Arthur (Jamie) Ross of Atlanta, GA, Robert (Linda) Ross of Lakeland; grandchildren: Amanda Ross, Maegan Leavens, Mitchell Leavens, Jason Ross and Nathan Ross. Funeral services will be conducted Monday, February 23, 2009 at Gentry-Morrison/Dukes-Steen Funeral Home Chapel, 1833 S. Florida Ave. Interment will follow at Temple Emanuel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Avenue, Auburndale, FL. 33823. -The Ledger Feb. 22,2009 

LAKELAND – Mrs. Eva Pincus of Lakeland died of heart failure Friday (April 2, 2004) at Oakbridge Health Care. Born April 2, 1922, in Troy, Ala., she came here from Palmetto in 1929.  She was a homemaker. She was a member of Rodeph Shalom Synagogue, Tampa. She was a life member of Hadassah Temple Emanuel, Lakeland. >  Mrs. Pincus is survived by her husband, Sam Pincus; sons, Elliot L. Pincus, Lakeland, Steven G. Pincus, Boca Raton, Stanley J. Pincus, Tallahassee; brother, Morris D. Levitt, Miami; sisters, Fannie Levitt and Zena Levin, both of Miami. Services will be Monday at Dukes-Steen Funeral Home Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rodeph Shalom Scholarship Fund. Ledger, April 4, 2004

ST. PETERSBURG - Norma Routenberg, of St. Petersburg, formerly of Lakeland, died May 26, 2011 at Woodside Hospice House of natural causes.> She was predeceased by her husband, Norman. >She is survived by children Ruth and David (Kerri) and grandchildren Jennifer (Nicholas), Samara, Evan and Brian.

Services will be held at Temple Emanuel in Lakeland Sunday. Donations may be made to Hospice of Florida Suncoast, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater 33760 or Temple Emanuel. Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Funeral Home in Lakeland, FL. –  Ledger, May 28, 2011

LARGO - Norman Routenberg, of Largo, formerly from Lakeland, passed away October 10, 2009 at Woodside Hospice. Currently a member of Temple Bnai Israel Clearwater, he was an active member of Temple Emanuel Lakeland for 50 years where he served as president for 3 years and was also a long time member and officer of Bnai Brith. Before retiring, he owned a department store in Kentucky, and later in Lakeland worked in retail. He was a long time donor for the blood bank, giving over 11 gallons. > He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Norma, son David and wife Kerri, daughter Ruth, grandchildren Jennifer, Samara, Evan and Brian. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Temple Emanuel, Lakeland or The Hospice of the Suncoast (Largo). Funeral services will be held, Monday October 12, 2009 at Temple Emanuel with burial to follow at Temple Emanuel Cemetery, Lakeland. Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes, Dukes-Steen Chapel, Lakeland.  Ledger, Oct. 12, 2009

>RUTH G. WEITZENKORN -  85 -
LAKELAND - Ruth G. Weitzenkorn, a long-time Lakeland resident, died of a heart condition on April 1, 2010. She faced her breast cancer and her heart disease with grace and strength. Ruth was born on December 17, 1924, in Kaltennordheim, Germany. After fleeing Nazi Germany to Cuba with her father, Hugo Goldschmidt and stepmother Reta in 1939, she immigrated to the United States in December of 1941. The Lakeland community welcomed Ruth and her family with open arms. She graduated from Lakeland Senior High in 1944 and attended business college. In 1948, she married the love of her life, Paul J. Weitzenkorn, and they began their 62-year-long life together in Polk County. Ruth worked side by side with her husband in their local businesses, including their citrus groves, Fashion City and Erich's Department Store. Ruth was a full-time mother, full-time business woman and a community activist. She held offices in the League of Women Voters, Haddassh and Temple Emanuel Sisterhood. She, along with husband Paul, was instrumental in founding Temple Beth Shalom of Winter Haven. Ruth received many awards of recognition for her service to the community.
 Ruth was a giving and philanthropic person. Her charities included the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, American Cancer Society, and Haddassah. She loved the outdoors and traveling. Together with Paul, they traveled to the Great Wall of China, the Australian Outback, the Swiss Alps and the Norwegian fjords, as well as the United States from coast to coast. Mostly, Ruth loved playing bridge with her dear friends, discussing politics and religion, cooking for her family and taking long walks with her Paul. She taught her children that these moments are the essence of a good life. > Ruth is survived by her loving husband Paul J. Weitzenkorn and her children Bonnine Bernstein, Dan Weitzenkorn and Judy Miller, along with son-in-law Dave Miller and her seven grandchildren, Joshua and Adam Bernstein, Brad, Allison and Emily Miller, and Rachel and Michelle Weitzenkorn.  Services will be held Sunday, April 4, 2010 at Temple Beth Shalom in Winter Haven. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Temple Beth Shalom Torah Fund or to a charity of your choice.- Ledger, April 2 – 4, 2010

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Jacqueline A. Tidwell of Lakeland died of cancer Monday (May 2, 2005) at home. Born in Detroit on June 4, 1923, she came to Lakeland from Highland Park, Ill., in 1976. She was a retired vice-president of Tidwell's Urethane Foam Service Inc. She was a lifelong member of the SPCA, former vice chair of the Heartland Private Industry Council, a former member of the Polk Opportunity Council, a volunteer for VISTE and a member of the National Federation of Independent Business People. She was a member of Temple Emanuel. > Mrs. Tidwell is survived by her husband, Comer "Wade" Tidwell; sons, Charles Loomis, Zion, Ill., David W. Tidwell, Lakeland; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at Dukes-Steen Funeral Home. Services will follow at the funeral home chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the SPCA, 5850 Brannen Road South, Lakeland, FL 33813 – Ledger, May 4, 2005