The Memorial Wall

Richard Belman of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA and formerly of Willimantic, CT and Key Biscayne, FL, passed away in Long Beach, CA on April 13, 2011. Richard was the son of Abraham Belman and Celia R. (Cohen) Belman Rosow.
 
He was born on June 19, 1933 and grew up in Willimantic, CT and attended Windham High School, graduating from Tilton School in Tilton, New Hampshire. Following high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Europe. Upon his discharge, Richard earned a Bachelor of Sciences degree from the University of Hartford before moving to Miami Beach, FL where he taught elementary school. In the early 1960’s he relocated to Los Angeles, where he resided for most of the remainder of his life. Richard received his doctorate and was employed as a teacher, counselor and principal in a number of skill and occupational training centers operated by the Los Angeles Unified School District. He returned briefly to Florida to care for his mother in her later years; however, his primary home remained in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Richard is survived by his brother, James Belman of San Rafael, CA; his step-brother, Norman Rosow of Avon, CT; his nephew, Miles Dunn of East Haven, CT; his nieces Nancy Tulin of Berlin, CT and Joanne Hoffman of North Haven, CT; as well as cousins and numerous friends throughout the United States. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sister, Barbara Belman Dunn.

Richard’s family and friends wish to thank his caregivers who made his final months more comfortable. All arrangements will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the “Richard Belman Memorial” at Parkinson’s Resource Organization; 74-478 Hwy 111, #102; Palm Desert, CA 92260.

On April 10, 2011, JAMES "JIM" ADAM MCGARRITY, age 68 of Bel Air died peacefully at his home from complications related to Parkinson's disease. He was the husband of 47 years to Mahia McGarrity (nee Yealdhall); loving father to Deborah Vaught and her husband James; loving father to Michael McGarrity and his wife Tracey; the cherished grandfather to Brandon and Christopher Vaught and Austin McGarrity. Also survived by his brother Edward J. McGarrity and his wife Grace along with many other loving friends and relatives. Jim was born in Baltimore, MD on January 24, 1943 to the late James S. and S. Mary McGarrity (nee Lonczynski), He graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1951. He married in June 1964 and moved his family to Harford County in 1973. He served the majority of his career as Vice President of CAM Construction Company in Timonium until his retirement in 2004. He then managed and was part owner of the Play it Again Sports Store in the Festival of Bel Air until his illness left him incapable of continuing, Jim was an avid golfer and served as President of Maryland Golf and Country Club in 1999. He loved 1950's music and could tell you not only the artist but also the record label of which the song was produced. He was described by his many friends and family as the "life of the party" and "always the last to leave!" He was a devoted father and grandfather and enjoyed family gatherings and summer vacations, He and his wife Mahia enjoyed socializing and were Friday night "regulars" at Scotto's Italian Restaurant almost from the day it opened.

North County resident Gene Shefrin, an entertainment industry publicist who represented such stars as Tony Bennett and Johnny Mathis, has died at age 90.

Shefrin’s son, Paul, said his father died April 6 in Encinitas after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

During his career, Shefrin represented the likes of Guy Lombardo, Frankie Laine, Vic Damone, Perry Como, Sam Cooke, author Irving Wallace, Don Rickles, Don Adams, Richard Pryor, Jackie Mason, Peter Falk, James Caan, Monty Hall, Peggy Lee, Kate Smith, Connie Francis, Sarah Vaughan, Freda Payne and Dick Clark.

Gene Shefrin was born in New York City in 1921, graduated from City College of New York, and during World War II served in an Army Air Force bomber group.

He began his career in New York in 1945 and started his own company in Los Angeles in the 1960s. He retired in 1987.

Born Feb. 10, 1921 in New York City, Shefrin attended Townsend Harris High School and then City College of New York from which he graduated in 1942 with a bachelor of social sciences degree. He then joined the U.S. Army Air Force and was initially stationed at Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas, and was assigned as a reporter on the base newspaper, the Randolph Rookie, according to information provided by his family.

While there, he married Sophie Schwimmer on Jan. 9, 1943. During World War II, he served in the 96th Bomber Group in England and was awarded two battle stars. He was honorably discharged in 1945.

Later that year, he started his career in public relations at Fred Stengel Associates in New York as an apprentice publicist and, the following year, he joined David O. Alber Associates. In 1963 he left the Alber company and soon thereafter moved to Los Angeles, founding Gene Shefrin Associates, which was re-named The Shefrin Company in 1976 when his son, Paul, joined the firm.

Shefrin retired to North County, primarily Carlsbad, where he lived until his death.

He was a longtime member of both The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and the Publicists Guild.

Shefrin was well-known for his sense of humor, which he maintained until his final days, his family said.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Sophie; his son, Paul, along time publicist; and his two grandchildren, Jordan and Michael.

Lester E. McCoun Lester E. McCoun, 75, of Ambler, a retired technology sales specialist and financial planner, died on Saturday, January 29, 2011 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Mr. McCoun was raised in Omaha, Nebraska and then went on for an undergraduate degree at Elmhurst College, and a Masters in Business from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He served as a commissioned officer in the Army’s Medical Corps before beginning a career with IBM in Charlotte in the early 1960’s. He stayed in the field of technology sales for the next 28 years and then opened his own financial planning business before retiring in 2002. A lifelong Mason and long-time member of Jarrettown United Methodist Church, he could often be found working in the yard or building furniture in his shop, both avocations in which he delighted. Numerous family vacations to the Outer Banks and decades long friendships with the “Connecticut Crowd” and area friends were another source of great joy. But his deepest satisfaction came from investing in his own family and seeing his grandchildren (Rachael, Christine, Josh, Sara, Alison, Brian, and Chris) be born and blossom. He fought with courage and dignity against Parkinson’s Disease for the last 23 years of his life with the loving support of his family and a team of dedicated caregivers. He was the son of the late Geneva F. and Leonard P. McCoun and is survived by his wife, Sue B. McCoun; three children, Holly M. Foster, David E. McCoun and Robert B. McCoun; seven grandchildren; and a sister, Elizabeth M. Smith. 

Francis "Frank" Jaskulski, 81, of Lakeview entered into rest on December 16, 2010. He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Carol Jaskulski. Also surviving are their five children, Wanda and Wesley Harris, Frank and Brenda Jaskulski, Carla and Loren Whitney, Diane Jaskulski, and Robert Jaskulski; five grandchildren, Gregory, Geoffrey, and Rebekah Harris, Michael Whitney, and Denise Snow; a great granddaughter, Laura Snow; a sister, Irene Welch; brothers-in-law Harry, Lewis, Thomas, and Jack Cramer; and numerous nieces and nephews. Frank was a veteran of the Korean War, serving with the US Army. He retired from Canron Construction, Conklin, NY in 1995. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, football, amusement parks, and loved his family.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 18, 2010 at the Tuttle-Yeisley Funeral Home, Hallstead, PA. Spring interment with military honors will be in Lakeview Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4-7 p.m. on Friday. 

Dr. S. Jerome Tamkin died peacefully at his home in Pacific Palisades on November 29, 2010, of complications from Parkinson's disease.

He was born in Los Angeles on April 19, 1926 to Thelma and William Tamkin.

He was exceptional as a young student, and was particularly interested in science and engineering. He was involved in the invention of an electronic device to detect dangerous gas, preventing explosions on naval vessels. He was one of our military's youngest commissioned officers, working at the Naval Research Laboratories in Washington, DC at the age of 18 during World War II. He attended and taught at University of Southern California and University of California at Los Angeles and ultimately achieved a PhD studying and researching mechanical and chemical engineering. 

Entering the industrial sector with his extensive educational qualifications, Dr. Tamkin enjoyed a diverse career path as he performed engineering and management work for firms such as U.S. Rubber, Wilco and Waste King. 

Dr. Tamkin was a founding director of American Medical International. With his father, he founded TGT Petroleum in Kansas, where he has continuously served as its chairman.

He became a prolific, successful investor, particularly in real estate and petroleum.

In the post war era Dr. Tamkin he served as a Civil Defense coordinator responsible for administering over 1,000 other volunteers. He later held a position on the Board of Directors of the Crime Prevention Advisory Council for the Los Angeles Police Department and was one of the founders of the successful "DARE" program targeting youth drug abuse. 

Dr. Tamkin became an extremely active philanthropist. An Eagle Scout, he partnered with his wife, Judith, in supporting Boy Scouts of America and related programs. Dr. Tamkin and his father formed the Tamkin Foundation, where he served as its chairman. Some of his abundant generosity was directed to the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Cedars Sinai, UCI medical school, UCLA medical school and hospital (where he served as a board member), Betty Ford Center, countless Jewish and secular educational and outreach institutions, and hundreds of individual charities.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Judith, his brother Jack, sons Steven Tamkin and Dr. Gary Tamkin, daughters Sherry Catlett and Windy Litvak, grandsons Evan Harmon, Andrew Litvak and William Tamkin, granddaughters Erin Campbell , Lina Litvak, Emily Tamkin and Megan Tamkin, great granddaughter Jenna Campbell, Nephew Douglas Tamkin, and cousins Robert Rich, Kenneth Rich, Errol Kader, and Donald Kader.

Darlene Mary Kirshner is finally at peace after a long and difficult illness causing severe dementia. Darlene passed away on October 26, 2010. Darlene enjoyed entertaining her friends, singing, music, and attending and participating in theatrical events. She will be remembered by dear friends for embracing them in her gracious and loving manner. How lucky are the angels to have her join their choir. She is survived by her husband, Mervyn, sons Shaun and Shea, grandchildren Nicole, Geneva, Kyle, and Giles, and sister Dorothy Van Zeyl.

Our family is grateful for all the care, love, and comfort are given to Darlene by Rebecca Wilson, her caregivers at Helena House in Tustin, and Hospice of California. Donations may be made in her memory to Parkinson's Resource Organization, 74-785 Highway 111, #208, Palm Desert, CA 92210. Services Sunday, October 31 at 1:00 pm in the Mount Sinai Chapel, Mount Sinai Memorial Parks & Mortuaries, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles (Hollywood Hills) 1-800-600-0076.

Rosita Fern McDonald was born in Monterey County in California to the county librarian (mother) and a free-spirited musician (dad). She took elements of both to become an incredibly gifted and uber-organized wife, mother and artist. 

During WWII, Rosita married a local Navy dreamboat, Gene Montgomery. After the war, they designed and built their first home in Pasadena, CA - and had their daughter, Paula. They soon moved to Newport Beach, CA the place Rosita loved more than any other on earth. Parkinson's took her life - but not her spirit - at the age of 91.

"My mother seemed to be a bit of a daunting figure when I was a child - in spite of her diminutive stature! She seemed to do EVERYTHING - and do it well. She accomplished more in any given day than most of us mortals could even dream of doing. She never seemed rushed or flustered - but simply confident that if one starts a thing, one will naturally continue it - and finish it - and beautifully! 

"Once, in the midst of multi-tasking, she said, 'I think I should be doing something else.' I replied, 'I'm going to put that on your gravestone!' And so, etched on her lovely urn of ashes, there it is. I am sure she's in heaven right now, completing her 'to-do' list - and mine, probably - and maybe even yours!" - Paula Montgomery

Wah Yew Ong 1919-2010, beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, peacefully passed away in Richardson, Texas on July 1st, 2010. He was 91 years old. Born in China, Wah immigrated to the United States. He served proudly in the U.S. Navy and then settled with his wife, Yee "Sandy" Ong in Arizona. They became busines owners and raised their three children in Tempe, Phoenix, and Scotsdale. Wah lived a full life, and he will be deeply missed by all. He was preceded in death by his wife, and is survived by his son and daughters, Gordon, Violet and Jennie, and their spouses; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Visitation is on July 16th, between 6-8 p.m. Services will be held on Saturday, July 17th, at 9:30 a.m. Both will be at Green Acres Mortuary on 401 N. Hayden Rd. in Scottsdale, AZ. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Parkinson's Resource Organization, 74-478 Highway 111, #102, Palm Desert, CA 92260

Our dear friend, Joyce, went home on June 1, 2010.

Born in Canada on the 156th anniversary of Beethoven's birthday, she had a passion for music. With a contralto voice, her singing choices embraced spirituals, oratorio, operatic arias, and show tunes. She directed choirs, particularly children's choirs. She sang in a wide variety of venues. She joked that she had sung in so many different churches that she was ecumenical. Joyce had a non-stop zest for life, even as Parkinson's disease slowed her mobility.

Her lifelong mantra was "Don't take life too seriously; you'll never get out of it anyhow."

For nearly 53 years, Joyce and her cousin and best friend, Grace, laughed, traveled, attended all manner of events, made friends and volunteered, as they together enjoyed life to the full. Yes, they did work once in a while as well. Joyce's favorite spiritual was Anton Dovrak's "Goin' Home" "Mother's there 'specting me, Father's waiting, too. Lots of folks gathered there, All the friends I knew…. Through an open door…. Goin' home."

Joyce leaves behind a lot of friends who have yet to walk the final mile, but she looks forward to seeing them again, too. 

"Thanks for the Memories!!!" - Grace