Sidney M. Alter, age 90 of Kettering, passed away July 27 at his residence. Mr. Alter retired as the owner of his jewelry store and was a member of Beth Abraham Synagogue. He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Betty; daughter, Jill Schaeffer (Tom LaVilla) of Cincinnati; sons, Mitchell Alter (Linda) of Columbus, Randall Alter (Darcy) of Cleveland, Joell Alter of Philadelphia; grandchildren, Mollie, Allie, Sophie, Max and Sadie; and many other relatives and friends. Interment was at Beth Abraham Cemetery. Contributions may be made to The Darcy Alter Playground Fund at www.FairmountTemple.org. “You will be missed.”

Stephen G. Esrati, 89, died peacefully of old age on Aug. 18 at the Dayton VA Medical Center Hospice. A retired copy editor at the Cleveland Plain Dealer and a prolific philatelic journalist, Mr. Esrati was among the first American hostages in Lebanon, in 1948. He also worked on the Boston Herald-Traveler, the Celina (Ohio) Daily Standard, the Van Wert Times-Bulletin, and the Toronto Globe and Mail. Born in Berlin in 1927, Mr. Esrati moved to Palestine in 1933 and to the United States in 1937. He had two degrees in political science from Boston University. He served in Italy in the 88th U.S. Infantry Division after World War II and was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. He also served in the Irgun Zvai Leumi, a Jewish underground army in Palestine. He was active in the U.S. Army Reserve through 1960, last as a sergeant first class in the 320th Special Forces Group in Boston. His experience in Special Forces formed part of the background for his first novel, Comrades, Avenge Us. Mr. Esrati and 60 other men were removed from a U.S. passenger ship, The Marine Carp, in Beirut on the day after Israel declared its independence. His non-philatelic writings appeared in newspapers on three continents. He was honored by induction into the Philatelic Writers’ Hall of Fame of the American Philatelic Society. He is survived by his wife, Nina B., and his son David.

Walter Ohlmann. Son. Patriarch. Husband. Dad. Papa. Brother. Friend. Leader. Mensch. At peace. Mr. Ohlmann, son to Drs. Julius and Alice Ohlmann, age 87, of Dayton, passed away Aug. 19. Mr. Ohlmann’s story is one of an incredible journey through life that crossed centuries, continents, and cultures. Mr. Ohlmann was born in Germany in 1928. He and his family fled from Germany by train in February of 1939 on a journey that took them through five countries until they reached the United States, arriving in New York on March 4, 1940. Life then brought Mr. Ohlmann and his family to Dayton, the city he would call home for the remainder of his life. At 17 years old, the night before New Year’s Eve, he and Selma Friedman eloped and remained married until her passing in 2009. Mr. Ohlmann was a Veteran and proudly served in The United States Army in the Korean War. Following the war, Mr. Ohlmann returned to Dayton to start a family with Selma and to begin a professional career that made an indelible mark on an industry and a lasting impact on a community. Mr. Ohlmann’s professional career began as a sales representative for WLWD, which would later become WDTN. A successful sales rep, one of his primary accounts was a small ad agency known as Penny & Penny. Impressed with him, Bob and Jean Penny asked Mr. Ohlmann to join them in the advertising business in 1964 and Penny & Penny became Penny/Ohlmann and later Penny/Ohlmann/Neiman. In 2012 the agency took on its current name as The Ohlmann Group, where his daughters, Linda and Lori, and the team whom he treated like family, will carry on his legacy. In addition to his career at The Ohlmann Group, Mr. Ohlmann was a founder and a 24-year President of the Intermarket Agency Network, a national alliance of independent advertising agencies that has working agreements with other networks throughout the world. IAN recently honored him with its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award for his many contributions to its member agencies across the country. Among other notable awards he received over the years are the Spirit of Life Award from the City of Hope in 1988 and the Free Enterprise Award from Junior Achievement in 1994. In 1995, Mr. Ohlmann received the American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award for his career-long service to his clients, the marketing industry, and his community. In 1996, he was selected as the Volunteer of the Year by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives and was honored in 1995 and 1996 by the national organization of Jobs for Graduates. Mr. Ohlmann served as president, chair or committee member to more than two dozen local organizations covering a wide spectrum of activities including youth, business, healthcare, the arts, elderly, aerospace, military, and governmental organizations. He was instrumental in the founding of Hospice of Dayton. He was a leader in the Jewish community, serving as president of Temple Israel. He was also treasurer of Dayton Dialogue on Race Relations, which aims to eliminate race discrimination and has had over 5,000 participants attend the defining dialogues. Most recently, he served as president of the Wright Image Group, promoting the building of a Wright Brothers Monument at the intersection of I-70 and 75 to recognize Dayton as the birthplace of aviation and the center of ongoing aerospace activity. Mr. Ohlmann’s philanthropic fund-raising efforts resulted in contributions of more than $60 million for various local, national, and global organizations and causes. While Mr. Ohlmann’s earthly travels have been completed, his journey continues. His travels here measured not only by what he achieved but also by what he helped others to accomplish. Mr. Ohlmann was someone who you didn’t just meet, but rather someone who you remembered. Mr. Ohlmann is survived by his two daughters, Linda Ohlmann Kahn and husband, Dennis Kahn, Lori Ohlmann; grandson, Andrew Kahn; his special friend, Mary Lou Zieve; his best buddy and long-time shadow, Benji and many other relatives and friends. Internment was at Riverview Cemetery. The family requests donations be made to: The Walter & Selma Ohlmann Fund c/o Temple Israel, The Hospice of Dayton, Wright Image Group or the charity of your choice in Mr. Ohlmann’s memory.

Louise Tanis (Frankowitz), age 94, of Boynton Beach, Fla., formerly of Dayton, passed away July 31 at her residence surrounded by her loving children. Mrs. Tanis was born on March 10, 1922 in Cincinnati to the late Joseph and Rose Frankowitz. She lived in Dayton her whole life until very recently when she moved to Boynton Beach. She was preceded by her beloved husband of 56 years, Charles Tanis; brothers, Morris and Emil Frankowitz, and her sisters, Gussie Jacobson and Erma Cunix. Mrs. Tanis is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Adele and Dennis Krug of Boynton Beach; son, Lawrence Tanis of Costa Rica; sister-in law, Shirley Frankowitz of Dayton; cousin, Jeanie Lowry of Hallendale, Fla. and many, many loving nieces and nephews throughout the country. Mrs. Tanis was a beautiful lady who loved and was loved by those who were fortunate enough to have known her and been close with her. She was a devoted volunteer for many organizations. Mrs. Tanis was a longtime member of Beth Abraham Synagogue and a former president of the sisterhood, a lifetime member of Hadassah and a staunch supporter and president of the Women’s Guild of the former Covenant House nursing home. She cherished her lifetime friendships as they, in turn, cherished her. Despite her illness, her spirit, good humor and charm never faltered, and she was a lady in every sense of the word. With heartfelt sadness, she will be missed by all. Interment was at Beth Abraham Cemetery. The family asks you to consider donations to Beth Abraham Synagogue, Hadassah, or the charity of your choice in her memory.

To read the complete September 2016 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.