Longtime Denver resident and Holocaust survivor Irene Melamed passed away on July 11, 2023, at the age of 94. A service was held in Lakewood, NJ, followed by her burial in Jerusalem.
Mrs. Melamed (née Weiss) was born on May 1, 1929, in Munkacs, Hungary. In 1943 her family was taken to Auschwitz, where her family perished. Irene was the lone survivor and was moved to Sweden. She attended school in Ladingo until receiving a visa from an uncle in New York, where she settled in the Lower East Side and attended high school in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.
While in New York Mrs. Melamed met Moshe Melamed, also a Holocaust survivor. They married and lived in Omaha, Neb., before moving to Denver. Mr. Melamed died in December, 1979.
Mrs. Melamed became a proven businesswoman, first as a bookkeeper and then as owner of the Sheridan Manor nursing home.
“She was a strong and kind person,” her family said. “She was very smart, self-educated and with impeccable character.
“She passed on her values of integrity, kindness and emuna (faith).”
One of Mrs. Melamed’s grandchildren, David Melamed, said: “She almost never mentioned the Holocaust. She didn’t want to be defined by the numbers on her arm.”
Six years ago Mrs. Melamed moved to Baltimore.
Survivors are children Rabbi Shlomo (Esther) Melamed, Chaya (Yitzchok) Kruck, Cipy (Moshe) Kravetz, Bluma (Mordechai) Krasney; 34 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Denver native Norman Singer passed away on July 6, 2023. He was 81. A service was held on July 9 at Golden Hill Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Zalman Popack. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Mr. Singer attended North High School, Colgate University, London School of Economics, Columbia Law School and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He specialized in international law.
In June, 1966, Mr. Singer and Rhoda Singer were married; they remained a couple until his passing.
Mr. Singer was a member of the Explorer’s Club (he once lived in Tanzania, Africa), Colorado Open Lands and the Local Hope Guatemalan Charity.
“He loved life and lived it very fully,” his family said. “He was beloved by many all over the world.”
Survivors are Mr. Singer’s wife Rhoda; sister Estelle Galperin; and children David Singer, Jennifer Singer and Jessica Singer.
Contributions may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Denver native Lois Blitt died on April 12, 2023, at the age of 96. A service was held on April 17 at Rose Hill Cemetery, officiated by Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky. Feldman Mortuary handled the arrangements.
Mrs. Blitt (nee Opper) grew up on Denver’s West Side. She attended North High School and in 1947 she met Harold Blitt. They were married on August 17 of that year, and were a couple for 59 years until Mr. Blitt’s passing in November, 2006.
A member of Beth Joseph and later, BMH-BJ, Mrs. Blitt was a member of the synagogue sisterhood, Hadassah and Women’s American ORT. Her family said that both Mr. and Mrs. Blitt contributed to many philanthropic organizations and that Mrs. Blitt “continued that legacy after Harold’s passing.”
“Lois was kind, generous, thoughtful, humorous, creative, honest, fun, and she loved life,” her family said. “She enjoyed traveling and only stopped when COVID impacted everyone.”
Mrs. Blitt had eight grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. “She saw every single one of them and cherished them all,” her family said.
Survivors are children Marcella (Steve) Wolf, Darlene (David) Schwartz and Melody Blitt; brother Sherman (Andi) Opper; and grandchildren Bradley Wolf, Danny (Laura) Wolf, Andy (Brooke) Wolf, Jennifer (Benji) Jacobs, Joanna (Dovy) Reich, Jessica (Gavriel) Toso, Aleeza (Avrumi) Reches and Natalie (Tom Zajdler) Melnick; and 28 great-grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to the Harold Blitt Fund at BMH-BJ.
© IJN 2023
