Longtime Denver resident and pillar of the EDOS community, Dr. Alex Jacobs passed away on August 2, 2023. A service was held that afternoon at Rose Hill Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Dani Rapp. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements. All four of Jacob’s sons spoke about their father at the funeral, while avoiding a formal eulogy, due to Tu b’Av.
Dr. Jacobs graduated from the UC Medical Center in 1972 and practiced internal medicine and geriatrics.
Of vital importance to Dr. Jacobs was his dedication to Torah as a scholar and teacher. He was a member of EDOS for more than 45 years, and a gabbai for many years.
“Community was very important to him and he was always at shul to make sure there was a minyan,” said Dr. Jacobs’ wife Meryl. “He was special because he could relate to people on all levels – children and adults alike. He had a knack for bringing joy to everyone’s lives.
“He was a great teacher and healer. He was deeply committed to Yiddishkeit.”
He was a regular participant in daf Yomi, the study of a folio page of Talmud daily.
Dr. Jacobs’ oldest son, Dr. Eli Jacobs, said: “What was most special about dad, and his most defining trait, is that he loved more than anything to make other people happy. Whether it was a joke, a riddle or a magic trick, he loved to make people smile.
“It was the way he gave a d’var Torah or explained a difficult gemara (a piece of Talmud) — he told things in such a way that you couldn’t help but smile as the light bulb went off in your head.
“He loved giving charity to ease the burdens of those less fortunate. He put patients at ease and comforted them with the knowledge that he would take care of their medical issues, no matter how complex.”
Dr. Jacobs was held in such high esteem that people flew to Denver to the shiva house from Israel, Mexico, Belgium, Chicago, New York and St. Louis.
Born on March 25, 1946 in Lodz, Poland, Dr. Jacobs’ family moved to Israel in 1949. Five years later they joined a family member in Denver.
Dr. Jacobs graduated from Skokie (Ill.) Yeshiva in 1964 before beginning his undergraduate studies at Yeshiva College and his medical studies at CU. In June, 1969, Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs were married in Bridgeport, Conn.
“Every single aspect of dad’s life was dedicated to others,” said Eli Jacobs. “What a huge lesson for his children and grandchildren. And what a tremendous legacy of smiles he leaves behind.”
Survivors are Dr. Jacobs’ wife Meryl; sons Dr. Eli (Miriam) Jacobs, Joshua (Tippy) Jacobs, Rabbi Aver (Chavi) Jacobs and Benjamin (Jen) Jacobs; and 21 grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to Kehilas Bais Yisroel, the MB Glassman Synagogue.
Boulder resident Thomas “Tom” Trager passed away on May 14, 2023. He turned 79 on May 5. A service was held on May 16 at the Boulder JCC, followed by burial at Mountain View Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Fred Greene and Rabbi Marc Soloway. Greenwood and Myers Mortuary handled the arrangements.
A higher education attorney for CU and California State University, Mr. Trager was devoted to Jewish causes, serving on the boards of the Boulder JCC, Congregation Har HaShem and the Jewish Studies department at CU.
He also was on the boards of the Jewish federation, JFS and Temple Beth El in San Pedro, Calif.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 5, 1945, Mr. Trager attended DePauw University and Washington University Law School.
In 1972, Mr. Trager married Barbara Mathless. They remained a couple until Mr. Trager’s passing.
“Tom liked to say that he and Barbara had a ‘mixed marriage,’” his family said. “He grew up in a classical Reform home, Barbara in an Orthodox home.
“He was willing to keep kosher if Barbara would join a Reform synagogue.”
Survivors are Mr. Trager’s wife Barbara; children Mara (Patrick) Tcheunou and Joshua (Christina) Trager; grandsons Julien and Isaac; and sister Nancy Neavel.
Contributions can be made to the Boulder JCC, Har HaShem or Bonai Shalom.
Longtime Denver resident and US Army veteran, Dr. David Shander passed away on July 31, 2023. He was 88. A service is pending, with Feldman Mortuary handling the arrangements.
A native of Brooklyn, NY, and born on July 22, 1935, Dr. Shander attended Brooklyn College and the University of Rochester School of Medicine. He completed his medical residency at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.
Dr. Shander then joined the US Army, stationed at the Bassett Army Hospital at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. Upon the completion of his military service in 1967, he completed a fellowship in cardiology at CU and joined a cardiology practice at Rose Medical Center. He later became a clinical professor of medicine at the CU School of Medicine.
Dr. Shander was also elected president of the Colorado chapter of the American College of Cardiology and was president of the medical staff at Rose Medical Center.
In 1989 Dr. Shander and his wife Karen were married in New York City; Mrs. Shander said they were “soul mates” for 46 years.
“David was a gifted storyteller and loved a good joke,” his family said, “even performing standup comedy gigs on multiple occasions, where he shared his vast trove of Jewish jokes.
“He loved to travel and was an avid photographer and excellent skier.”
Survivors are Dr. Shander’s wife Karen; children Elizabeth (Michael) Bawden, Katherine (Steve Linberg) Shander and William (Rebecca) Shander; grandchildren Greet Bawden, Katriel Bawden, Aidan Shander-Reynolds, Marya Shander-Reynolds, Lliam Shander-Reynolds and Brook Shander.
Contributions can be made to JFS, the University of Colorado Trafton-Snyder Endowed Kidney Transplantation Fund and the Dr. David and Karen Shander Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.
Longtime Denver resident and Canadian Navy veteran Jim Wilson died on July 9, 2023. He was 91. A service was held on July 12 at Temple Sinai with interment at Rose Hill Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Richard Rheins. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
A native of Montreal, Que., and born on October 16, 1931, Mr. Wilson spent two years in Nova Scotia as part of the Canadian Navy, working with Iroquois building a bridge between Halifax and Dartmouth.
During his military service Mr. Wilson met his wife Rosetta. They married in 1954 and moved to Ottawa, where Mr. Wilson played for the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Roughriders.
Following his football career Mr. Wilson began working for Sunoco Oil, and was part of the team that created Puerto Rico’s first oil refinery in 1961. He later became operations manager for Sunoco.
Mrs. Wilson died in 1985. Mr. Wilson later married Cathy Sunshine; they met in France while Mr. Wilson was on a bicycle trip. They moved to Denver.
“Jim Wilson lived fully in the world,” his family said. “He was a man of all ages.
“He knew what he loved and unapologetically went for it, even to the point of his own embarrassment.
“Jim lived a full and adventurous life. He was a strong and vibrant person — generous and loyal.”
Mr. Wilson was a business owner (Good Vibes Fitness), a personal fitness trainer, competitive free diver, spear fisherman and swimming coach.
Survivors include Mr. Wilson’s wife Cathy; sister Patricia Wilson; daughter Wendy (John) Doran; stepchildren Abby Kamensky and Matthew (Marnie) Kamensky; and grandchildren Miles (Leah) Doran, Travis (Phoebe) Doran, Rory (Layla) Wilson, Erin Wilson, Casey (Pete) Hall, Zachary and Ethan Kamensky.
Contributions may be made to Temple Sinai or Shalom Park.
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