Obituary: Daniel L. Gross

Daniel L. Gross died on May 7, 2012 at the age of 88. Loving husband to Suzanne. Devoted father of Harry, Elyse (Don Brown) and Janet. Beloved brother of Martha (Dr. Max Fink). Grandfather of Rachel and Dylan Brown and Jason Hanleybrown (Fay Hanleybrown). Great-grandfather of three. Services were held at Riverside Nassau North Chapels, Great Neck.

Obituary: Minna (Sarrett) Panzer

Minna (Sarrett) Panzer, 97, died peacefully in her apartment on April 15, 2012, with loving family by her side. Minna was most recently of West Hartford, CT, but she lived nearly all of her adult life in Great Neck. Minna, the youngest of five children, was born in Brooklyn and she was the widow of Irving Panzer after 55 years of an exciting and loving marriage. Minna is survived by four children, Carol Mihal and her husband Bill of Glastonbury, CT, Jill of Fairfield, IA, Jonathan of Ithaca, NY, and Kenneth and his wife Susan of Roslyn; and five grandchildren. She is also survived by her devoted niece Arlyne Valdes and family of Phoenix, AZ. Although Minna spent much of her life as a loving and attentive full time mom, she retired from full-time employment at the Great Neck Library at the age of 85 after over 20 years of service which she passionately enjoyed. She was a voracious reader and enjoyed travel, financial management, and time with family and friends, and was a lifelong member of Hadassah. Minna had an incredibly brilliant smile and terrific sense of humor up until her final days, and she will be missed by all who knew her. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice Program at the Hebrew Health Care, 1 Abrahms Blvd., West Hartford, CT 06117.

Obituary: Mark E. Fant

Mark E. Fant, a Great Neck North Class of ‘77 alumni died March 5, 2012 at the age of 52. After high school he attended New York University receiving a BA in sociology and thereafter enrolled in NYU School of Law. Upon completion he began a successful career as an attorney practicing in Manhattan. He started to build his practice initially associated with the law offices of Robert G. Heim. A member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the New York County Lawyers Association, he specialized in collection litigation.

Obituary: Charlotte Miller

Charlotte Miller, 97 years old, died on March 25, 2012. Beloved wife of the late Theodore Miller. Devoted mother of Dr. Bernard Miller and his wife Marilyn and Allen G. Miller. Cherished grandmother of Ray Miller, Elissa Whiteman and her husband Adam and Adam Miller. Great-grandmother of Nathan, Noah, Abigail and Tamara. Funeral services were held at Riverside-Nassau North Chapels, Great Neck. Interment Beth David Cemetery, Elmont. Shiva was held at the home of Alan G. Miller and Shiva services were held at the home of Dr. Bernard and Marilyn Miller.

Obituary: Harold M. Hoffman

Harold M. Hoffman, 82, died March 17, 2012 at his home in Great Neck Estates after a long illness. He is survived by his devoted wife of 60 years, Lillian; his loving children Steven J. Hoffman of Takoma Park MD, Jane C. Hoffman (and husband Kevin Crowe) of Larchmont NY, and Carol H. Sampson (and husband David) of Westport CT; and his cherished grandchildren, Jeremy Hoffman, Rachel Crowe, Daniel Crowe and Claire Sampson. He is also survived by his loving sister-in-law Bernice Cassedy and her children: his adoring niece Nancy Herman and nephew Glen Herman.

Obituary: Ann Louise Stokes

Ann Louise Stokes died peacefully of natural causes in Livingston, NJ, on Feb. 26, 2012. She was born in Brooklyn on Feb. 20, 1926. Ann was a long time resident of Manhasset and was an active and lifelong member of the town’s Congregational Church. She was also a member of the Plandome Women’s Club and of the Great Neck Teachers Association. Ann traveled extensively touring China, Africa, South America and extensively throughout Europe. She enjoyed reading, golf, sailing and boating.

Obituary: Maria Luisa Fornari

Maria Luisa Fornari (nee Della Seta), died on March 4, 2012. Beloved wife of Harry D. Fornari. Mother of James D. Fornari and Daniel J. Fornari. Nonna of Matthew J. Fornari, Sasha G. Fornari and Simon J. Fornari and mother-in-law of CL Fornari and Amy Gillenson. Cremation private. Future memorial to be announced to friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Great Neck Public Library (http://www.greatnecklibrary.org/) would be appreciated. Arrangements were made by the John Lawrence Funeral Home, Marston Mills, MA.

Obituary: Joyce Marsella Freedman

Joyce Marsella Freedman, 88, of Great Neck and Mystic, CT, passed away on Feb. 25, 2012. She was born Dec. 14, 1923 in Long Branch, NJ, the eldest child of Anna and Alexander Marsella.

Growing up on the New Jersey Shore, as a young girl she worked at the Knick Knack Nook, a souvenir shop on the Long Branch boardwalk owned and operated by her Aunt Nettie. She later attended and graduated Monmouth Junior College.

Obituary: Robert Lewis

Robert Lewis, founding partner of the labor and employment law firm Jackson Lewis, LLP, died peacefully on Feb. 12, 2012 in Los Angeles, following complications from pneumonia at the age of 88. He was a long term resident of Great Neck and an active member for many years of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Committee. Born in Brooklyn on Jan. 2, 1924, even his earliest baby pictures reveal Bob’s quintessential grin. He met his wife Ethel Padnick as a teenager, and after several years of courtship, from which the family still holds his elegant letters, the couple embarked on what would become nearly 65 years of marriage. He enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1942. It was his time stationed in Italy as a secretary for the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate that sparked two of his lifelong interests: law and archaeology. He enrolled in Brooklyn Law School on the G.I. bill and married Ethel in 1947.

Obituary: Morris Frank Phillips

Morris Frank Phillips died on Feb. 5, 2012 at the age of 98. Till the end, along with his wife Betty, Frank fought passionately for peace, education, and social justice. Frank was unusually smart, loving and committed to improving the lives of all people.

Frank championed peace, women’s rights, innovative education and civil rights. He found common ground for people of diverse religious and ethnic groups. Frank’s work was so fearlessly outspoken and courageous in support of civil rights that WCBS chronicled his work in the documentary Guess Who’s Coming to Great Neck. Faced with a decision that he knew would displease many people, in the late 1960s, as a member of the school board, Frank voted his conscience and voted to allow African American children from Queens to be bused into Great Neck Schools.