In Memoriam

Murray M. Stern Julia (Judy) Bruce Soba

Judy Bruce Soba passed away on April 22, 2009, at age 88. She was a resident of Vero Beach, FL.

She was born February 12, 1921 in Fayette County, PA. Always an energetic and outgoing woman, Judy helped establish and was a partner in the Britton Coal Company during WWII. Following the war, she moved to New York City to attend the NYC School of Retailing and worked as a buyer for the Associated Mercantile Corporation. Settling down in Garden City to raise her family, she worked as a licensed real estate agent and licensed interior decorator having received her interior decorators degree from the Willsey Institute of Art and Interior Design. She quickly became actively involved community organizations including the Garden City Community Church, the Garden City PTA, the Garden City Casino, and Winthrop University Hospital where she served as President of the Winthrop University Hospital Auxiliary and served on the hospital's Board of Directors.

Judy is survived by her daughter Lesley K. Merola, her son George H. Soba, two granddaughters, her sister Jenny Fetty, niece Barbara Fetty, nephews Mitchell and Timothy Fetty and their children, all of whom love her greatly.

Her greatest loves were her children and grandchildren, her sister, her niece, her nephews and their children, her friends, and giving back to the community. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Memorial donations can be sent to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance at www.ovariancancer.org, or the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation at www.umdf.org.

Dorothy Christman Hofmann

Dorothy Christman Hofmann, 92, died on May 26, 2009.

She was born in Brooklyn Heights, NY, was a graduate of Sewanhaka High School, Floral Park, Class of 1935 and a resident of Garden City. She was a longtime employee of the Garden City Public Library before moving to Florida in 1975.

She is survived by her four children, Lawrence Jr., Joan, Susan and Donna-Lynn, her eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Her husband, Lawrence Sr. died in 1993.

A Celebration of Life service will take place on Friday, June 5, 2009, 10 a.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Garden City. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Garden City Public Library by calling Lorraine Spano (516-742-8405) at the library or mailing a check to 60 7th Street, Garden City, NY 11530.

Murray M. Stern

Murray M. Stern, a former resident of Garden City, died on April 5, in Sarasota, FL. He was 97 years old.

A graduate of NYU and the Harvard Business School, he served as a officer in the US Army during World War II. After the war, he returned to his business of infants' wear manufacturing, where he worked until he returned at age 72.

Mr. Stern moved to Garden City in 1946 and was active in community life until he retired to Florida in 1992. One of the founders of the Garden City Jewish Center, he served for many years on its Board of Directors. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Garden City Library, as well as volunteering with the G.C Recreation Department, teaching chess to local children for more than 20 years. An avid chess player, he was chairman of the chess team at the Harvard Club of New York, traveled to international chess tournaments, including the famous Fischer-Spassky match in Iceland. He was an early supporter of Little League baseball, and was instrumental in bringing the program to Garden City, and was active as a coach and manager for many years. He was well traveled, having visited locations on every continent except Antarctica.

He is survived by his daughter, Frances Goldstein of Cherry Hill, NJ, and by his son, Michael Stern, of Riverton, NJ, both of whom are graduates of Garden City High School, and 4 grandchildren.