Henrietta “Henny” Torf Lubow, 95, of Columbus, passed away on Oct. 19. Henny was born on March 9, 1929 into a large extended family in Cincinnati. She attended the University of Cincinnati and received a bachelor’s degree in education from The Ohio State University in 1952 and a master’s degree in education from Wright State University in 1971. Henny began her career teaching elementary school and remedial reading in the Dayton public school system and at Hillel Academy of Dayton, before pursuing her calling teaching developmentally disabled students and unwed mothers, helping them learn life skills and finding job placements for them. Henny enjoyed reading and loved her memoirs-writing and play-reading groups, investment club, and exercise group. She held leadership positions in the Dayton Chapter of Hadassah and the Dayton View Neighborhood Council. Henny and Howard had a large and close group of Dayton friends who celebrated birthdays and holidays together. For more than 30 years, Howard, Henny and their friends built a sukkah together in their backyard for their annual Sukkot party. Henny loved corresponding with her friends and her many cousins. She took a special interest in writing poems and limericks for birthday and anniversary celebrations and loved collecting jokes. In recent years, she lived at Creekside at the Village in Columbus. Henny used to joke that she wanted her parting words to be “Don’t put wet dishes on top of dry dishes in the dish rack.” Henny was preceded in death by her parents, Elias and Edith Linder Torf; her sister, Judith Torf Strauss; her brother, Morton Aaron Torf; and her husband, Howard Lubow. She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl and Judy of Columbus; her sons, Jeff (Anna) of Dayton and Barry (Susan) of Columbus; grandchildren Becca, Elias, Jenna, and Eden Lubow, and niece Miriam Strauss. Interment was at Riverview Cemetery. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Temple Israel (Dayton) Buy-a-Book Fund, Hadassah, the Bexley Public Library, or another nonprofit organization of your choice.

Aleksandar Svager, age 93, died of natural causes on Oct. 3 in Oakwood. He was preceded in death by his parents, Greta Dohan Svager and Oskar T. Svager, and his wife, Thyrsa Frazier Svager. He is survived by relatives in San Paolo, Brazil and many friends in the Wilberforce Xenia community. Aleksandar was born in what was then Sarajevo, Yugoslavia on Aug. 10, 1931. In 1941, Aleksandar and his parents escaped from Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia, only hours before they were to be transported to Auschwitz but were instead placed in a prisoner of war camp in Italy. Innately Aleksandar knew the meaning of the Lovelace line: “Stone walls do not a prison make nor iron bars, a cage.” He enjoyed running the streets surrounding the Italian prison camps and made friends of bakers and other shopkeepers. They were charmed by his intelligent conversation and straightforward demeanor. They engaged Aleksandar to be their money changer. His earnest willingness to do the job carefully, brought their appreciation and trust. Moreover, his being a high spirited 11-year-old avoided the attention of the police. The shopkeepers rewarded him with coins and roasted chicken and goose, which he took to his parents. Throughout his life, he demonstrated an appreciation of money for showing generosity and kindness. When at last the war was over, the family returned to Yugoslavia, where he completed high school-level studies. Thereafter, he attended the Nuclear Institute of Zagreb where he completed undergraduate courses and remained for postgraduate studies. After two years at the Nuclear Institute, the University of Sarajevo awarded him a graduate teaching fellowship which allowed him to teach while completing his postgraduate program. But Yugoslavia, then under Communist control, was a very different place. Aleksandar found the Yugoslavian government control burdensome and wanted to go to the United States. However, the governing body was particularly determined to keep its top scientists and technologists from leaving its confines. For this reason, Aleksandar was fearful of seeking asylum in the United States, which was likely to place his family and former professors in danger. As a relative safe alternative, he applied for and received a student visa through the Institute for International Education which allowed him to study in a foreign university. Thus in 1960, Aleksandar became a teaching assistant in the Texas Christian University physics department, where he received one more degree, a master of arts; moreover he met wonderful colleagues and made many friends. When the Yugoslavian government asked him to return, he refused but chose to seek faculty positions in the United States. By an unexpected instance of timing, a Master of Arts in Computer Science was the most valuable credential for seeking a college professor’s position. Many, many universities were beginning to establish their first computer science departments. Aleksandar chose Central State University because it offered him the greatest autonomy and allowed him to select his own staff. In 1964, Aleksandar became professor of physics and chairperson of Central State University’s first Computer Science Department and there he met Thyrsa Frazier, chairperson of the Mathematics Department. The couple worked together to encourage African American students to major in computer science. On commencement day in 1968, Aleksandar Svager married Thyrsa Frazier. Internment was at Massie Cemetery in Cedarville Township.

Loretta Jaffe Weber, March 7, 1934 — Oct. 7, 2024. Loretta Jaffe Weber of Dayton died peacefully at the age of 90. Born in Evanston, Ill. to Ethel and Lawson Jaffe, she devoted her life to her family and instilled in them a lifelong love for learning and the arts. She studied at The Ohio State University, where she met her husband, Fred Weber, to whom she was married to for 30 years. She was crowned May Queen her freshman year, the first Jewish woman to have that honor. After college, she worked as a model before starting a family. She was generous with her time and energy and was most proud of her family and volunteer activities such as chairing the Art Ball at the Dayton Art Institute. She had an unfailing eye for fashion and an unwavering love for jewelry which led her to start Charade, a costume jewelry business. She was no stranger to the jewelry business. Her father, Lawson Jaffe, whom she adored, was a gem salesman who bought Mayor’s Jewelers in Dayton and which her former husband eventually led and grew into Weber Jewelers. Her love of fashion led her to write newspaper reviews of major costume exhibitions for the Dayton Daily News including Chanel (Metropolitan); Fashion Show: Paris Collections (Boston Museum of Fine Arts); and Reel to Reel: The Hollywood Designer After Film (Columbus Museum). Loretta was a striking beauty, often mistaken for Elizabeth Taylor. She was sharp, perceptive, and well read. Never shy about sharing her opinions, including on the radio, she always let you know what she thought and what was in her heart. She knew the latest books, movies, plays, and world events and was engaging, witty, and fun to be around. She loved the Oscars, New York City, and most of all, her children. She was predeceased by her former husband, Fred Weber and brother, Louis Jaffe. Loretta is survived by her three children, Rick (Susan) Weber, Lisa (Jeff) Greenberg, and Stephanie (Andrew Blazar) Weber; five grandchildren, Alison (Ryan) MacIntyre, Zachary (Amanda Triplett) Greenberg, Laura (Jordan Chmara) Greenberg, Mack (Emily) Weber, and Nell Weber; along with three great-grandchildren, Emma, Teddy, and Lilli. She is also survived by her stepbrother, Larry Jaffe, and stepsister, Linda Peterson. Interment was at Riverview Cemetery. If so inclined, donations may be made to the Dayton Art Institute.

To read the complete November 2024 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.