Memories from Ian Strasfogel

August 19, 2010
Dear Cousin Beryl,
Many thanks for the information about Leo Gutman, a cousin on my mother's side whom I well remember from summer childhood visits to Cincinnati. Leo was always enthusiastic about our large extended family and maintained contact with many of its far flung members. I was impressed and amused by his stories about how he acquired the rights to the Sherlock Holmes movies from the 1930s and 40s very inexpensively and then found a substantial market for them on late night television years later. (My wife Judith is addict of that sort of fare.) Clarence, my dear Uncle Clarence was an inimitable individual, generous and kind, reserved and self-deprecating, cautious and curmudgeonly, yet absurdly indulgent of his two Strasfogel nephews. It's a shame you never met him. He was a wonderful original. Andrew and I loved him very much.
Many thanks for your devotion to the many branches of our family tree.
Cordially,
Ian Strasfogel

Saul Miller's passing

Dear Family: I was saddened to just learn of Saul Miller's passing which occurred in December 2008. Saul was a devoted friend of our cousin Ethel Smullian Kaufman of blessed memory. I always considered Saul as part of our family. He attended many of our reunions. He never failed to remember Ethel, her brother Herbert and her son Steve's yartzeits. As a family representative, I would receive the acknowledgements from the Jacksonville synagogue. May Saul's soul rest in peace. You might be interested in Saul's obituary that I've attached and the lovely comment by someone who knew Saul as a radio personality also attached. My memory may have played tricks on me, but I seem to remember that Saul was an army buddy of Ethel's husband Artie Kaufman from World War II, and that is the circumstance of their long time friendship. We will miss Saul in the continuation of our reunions and in the preservation of our family history. Love to all of you, my dear cousins. Beryl.