Carmen M. Appel, age 107, of Dayton, passed away Dec. 10 in her own home. Mrs. Appel was the oldest member of Beth Abraham Synagogue. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lydia and Max May; her beloved husband, Bert; and son-in-law, Charles Frydman. Her good deeds and volunteerism with every Jewish organization and many secular ones were legendary. Mrs. Appel was, over a period of many years, president of B’nai B’rith Women, United Order of True Sisters, Covenant House Auxiliary, Beth Abraham Sisterhood and on the boards of Dayton Hadassah, the PTA, State of Israel Bonds, and the United Jewish Campaign. She was the first Jewish woman on the boards of the YWCA and the League of Women Voters. Her fund-raising abilities extended to many charities, and Mrs. Appel also performed many good deeds on a person-to-person basis. Infinite numbers of people benefited from her assistance and wise council. She could find solutions to the most perplexing problems and, especially after World War II, she nurtured Holocaust survivors and later, Russian emigres. They were all assisted by Mrs. Appel in finding jobs, apartments, new apparel, doctors and anything else to make them feel welcome and to adjust to their new surroundings. She did this all as a volunteer one-woman welcoming committee. Her awards were many, but that was never the purpose of her volunteerism. It was to reach an outstretched hand to those she felt needed a lift up, and to do so while maintaining each individual’s dignity. An outstanding human being, Mrs. Appel will be greatly missed by her daughter, Renate, son, Brian, 10 grandchildren and their spouses, and many great- and two great-great grandchildren. May the gates of Heaven open wide for her to enter in peace. Interment was at Beth Abraham Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Beth Abraham Synagogue or The Hospice of Dayton in Mrs. Appel’s memory.

Dorothy Gordon, formerly of Dayton, passed away Nov. 25 at Wexner Heritage Village in Columbus. Mrs. Gordon was born in Poland to the late Morris and Riva Frydman. She was a Holocaust survivor, a longtime member of Beth Jacob Synagogue and its sisterhood. Mrs. Gordon was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 50 years, Harry Gordon; brother, Abe Frydman; sister, Cecilia Richter; and son-in-law, Mike Greenberg. She is survived by her daughter, Marsha Greenberg of Columbus; sons and daughters-in-law, Jeff “Steve” and Nancy Gordon of Union, Mark and Kathy Gordon of Waynesville; sister and brother-in-law, Pera and Gary Bodas of Columbus; grandchildren, Vikki Levine, Abra and Randi Greenberg, Joshua Gordon; great-grandchildren, Zev Greenberg, Mya and Ilan Levine; other relatives and friends. Interment was at Beth Jacob Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Holocaust organization of your choice in Mrs. Gordon’s memory. The family wishes to thank Jennifer Powell and her staff with Mt. Carmel Hospice and the nurses and aids at Wexner Heritage Village, Nutis Wing, for the loving care they provided to Mrs. Gordon.

Jack Kwiatek, known to many as “Captain Jack,” passed away suddenly but peacefully in Kettering on Dec. 1 (9 Kislev). Born in Kansas City, Mo. in 1924 to Polish immigrants Samuel and Jennie Kwiatek, Dr. Kwiatek grew up sharing a single room with his parents and siblings at the back of his father’s grocery store. During World War II, he served as a lieutenant on the battleship U.S.S. California in the Pacific. After the war, he completed his college education, the first in his family to do so, receiving a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois. There he met the love of his life and wife of nearly 57 years, Lottie West, who had fled from Nazi Germany with her family. He went on to receive a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Cornell and spent the majority of his career at U.S. Industrial Chemicals (later Quantum). There he published numerous research papers and was granted many patents, especially in the area of catalysis, polymers, and plastics. In 1974, he was named chemist of the year for the Cincinnati section of the American Chemical Society. An early and ardent Zionist even before the creation of the state, he was instrumental in obtaining the support of Gerald Swope — a former GE president and renowned business innovator — as a major benefactor of the emerging Technion in Haifa. In the late 1960s he moved his family to Israel, where he worked at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot. During the two years of his sabbatical there, he was engaged in research and the training of graduate students. Throughout his life, he was an avid collector of Israel’s stamps, coins, and medals. A founding member of Congregation B’nai Tzedek in Cincinnati in 1964, he served in numerous leadership roles and was particularly noted for his many thoughtful sermons over the years. He was also a strong supporter of Jewish education, in particular at Yavneh Day School in Cincinnati. In his retirement years, he tutored synagogue students in Jewish studies and public and private students in high schools around the city in math and chemistry. Known as a humble man, he was a willing donor to many worthy causes and an active volunteer with the food bank, meals on wheels, senior transportation, and other local activities in Cincinnati and later in Dayton, where he lived close to family for the past decade. He delighted in simple pleasures — movies, good food, local festivals, and unexpected finds at garage sales. Through his actions, he taught his extended family to treasure family above all, to be generous with time and resources, and to express gratitude every day. He was beloved by everyone he met — from restaurant servers to CEOs — for his gentle manner, his clever humor, his upbeat attitude, and his ability to savor every moment. Dr. Kwiatek was preceded in death by his wife, Lottie, brother, Benjamin (Kansas City, Mo.), and sister Ruth Lubliner (Denver). He is survived by three children: Sandra Simenhoz (Haifa, Israel), Kim (wife Candace, of Centerville), and Sharon Gadoth (husband Doron, of Detroit). Continuing the generations are five grandchildren: Keren Stick (Jeremy), Oren Kwiatek (Keri), Aliza Kwiatek, Adva Gadoth, and Daphna Gadoth; and two great-grandchildren: Elijah Samuel Kwiatek and Kyla Kwiatek. Contributions may be made in his memory to Jewish National Fund, American Cancer Society, or The Technion.

David C. Michaels, age 23, of Dayton, passed away unexpectedly Dec. 9. Mr. Michaels was a graduate of Northmont High School and attended Wright State University with a technical theatre major. He worked as a performing artist and was an improvisation teacher. All who knew him were brought together and overjoyed by his slapschtick, high-brow comedy, and eyebrow comedy. Mr. Michaels’ passions and pastimes included movies, motorcycles, sports, music, outdoor adventure, and sharing time with friends and family. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ivy J. Michaels; paternal grandparents Jerome and Mardelle (Levin) Friedberg; maternal grandparents Don and Anne (Rayburn) Parris; and uncle, Stephen Friedberg. Mr. Michaels is survived by his father, Howard Michaels of Dayton; sisters, Lauren Michaels (Nisan Earnest) of Los Angeles; Lisa Michaels of Dayton; uncle, Gary Friedberg of Pittsburgh; great uncles, Louis Levin (Sarah Litwin), and Allen Levin, great-aunt Karen Levin; cousins, Malcolm and Marsha Segelin, Ryan Levin, Danielle Young, Jonathan Soper, and numerous other relatives and friends. Internment was at Beth Abraham Cemetery. The family requests donations in Mr. Michaels’ memory be made to The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, www.bbrfoundation.org, 1-800-829-8289, 90 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10016.

Ellin A. Oppenheimer, age 84 of Dayton, passed away Dec. 15 at The Hospice of Dayton. Mrs. Oppenheimer was a retired school teacher for Dayton Public Schools with 35 years of service, a graduate of Marshall University, member of Beth Abraham Synagogue and its sisterhood, and Hadassah. She was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Charles, in 1992. Mrs. Oppenheimer is survived by her sons and daughter-in-law, Scott Oppenheimer of Denver, Jon Oppenheimer and Janelle Higgins of Golden, Co., many other relatives and friends. Interment was at Beth Abraham Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Beth Abraham Synagogue or Hadassah in Mrs. Oppenheimer’s memory.

To read the complete January 2015 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.