Alabama

Bryce S. McCormack, Psi (University of Alabama) 2013

Bryce Steven McCormack, 30, of Salt Lake City, Utah and Albany, Georgia, passed away on Wednesday, July 7, 2021.

Bryce was born in Albany, Georgia. Bryce graduated from Westover High School in Albany and attended the University of Alabama where he was a member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. Bryce moved west to Salt Lake City with his family in 2011 and was a licensed journeyman electrician.

As a child, Bryce had an imagination and curiosity that kept his parents on their toes. His wonder and awe in the world wasn’t something he grew out of, but leaned into. As an adult he directed it toward a love of music, hiking, skiing and travel. The light in his eyes and a genuine kindness gave him an infectious energy that could literally light up the room. This was clear to everyone he loved. No matter how long since you had last seen him, you were always greeted with a bright smile and a great big hug. Adventurous in life, unbounded in spirit, Bryce was at his best when he was dancing to his favorite bands, cheering on the Tide, or just spending time with his family and friends.

Bryce was the second youngest of The McCormack cousins—a group who was molded around the kids table at the weekly Sunday Lunch. This tight family relationship only grew as the group got older, reconnecting for milestones, holidays and raucous rounds of Charades.

Bryce is preceded in death by his grandfathers Carmen Dippolito and Robert McCormack Jr. and great-aunt, Anna Louise McCormack. Bryce is survived by his parents, Gregory and Dina McCormack, brother Keller and sister Halley (Mark Alan), grandmothers Josephine Dippolito and Louise McCormack, great-aunt Bee McCormack, aunts and uncles Steven Dippolito, Lisa Dippolito Portman (Jeff), Robert McCormack III (Creel), Mary Helen Dykes, Julie McCormack Roth (Ira) and his adoring cousins and friends.

Services were in July at Starks Funeral Parlor at 3651 S 900 E, Millcreek, UT. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorials be made in Bryce’s honor to Conscious Alliance  or a charity of your choice.

Originally published at ParkRecord.com Park City and Summit County News

California

Ronald J. Ostrow, Alpha Eta (University of California-Berkeley) 1953

Ronald J. Ostrow, age 89, a storied newspaper reporter in the Washington bureau of the Los Angeles Times for more than three decades, passed away in Chevy Chase, MD, on Monday, June 14, 2021. His wife, Alyce Kelly Ostrow, was at his side. Ron was renowned among colleagues and competitors as one of the best-sourced reporters covering the Department of Justice. He was intimately involved in covering Watergate, helping break news that dramatically changed the trajectory of that story, including the first on-record account linking President Nixon’s reelection committee to illegal wiretapping and a scoop that a grand jury had named Nixon as an unindicted co-conspirator. He also wrote about the Iran-Contra scandal, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Supreme Court and scores of other topics. “He was always knowledgeable, always prepared, always fair,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement after Ron’s passing. “He was tough as a journalist, kind as a person. You could always pick him out in a crowd – he was the one wearing the bowtie.” Born in San Francisco, Ron graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1953, where he served as homecoming chairman his senior year, was a cheerleader and president of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. After a tour in the Army, he worked at the Wall Street Journal and Business Week before joining the Los Angeles Times in 1962 as a business writer. He was awarded a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard in 1964-65 and was recruited to the Times’ Washington bureau in 1966. Ron co-authored two books, “The FBI and the Berrigans – The Making of a Conspiracy” (1972) with colleague Jack Nelson and “Taking Care of the Law,” with former Attorney General Griffin Bell (1982), and was a longtime member of the Gridiron Club in Washington. One of Ron’s early assignments – covering Senator Edward Kennedy’s accident on Chappaquiddick Island in 1969 – led to a life-long love of Martha’s Vineyard, where he and family vacationed for decades, including with his beloved daughter, Kathryn Jeanne Ostrow, who died from cystic fibrosis in 1977. Ron was an avid runner, cook, reader and fisherman. In addition to his wife Alyce, with whom he celebrated 40 years of marriage this past Valentine’s Day, he is survived by stepdaughters Kalin Hyman (John Hyman) and Alison Auerbach (Marc Schindler); stepbrother, Lou Lovell; four grandchildren, Tucker Hyman (Kaeley Secan), Montana Hyman, Maya Schindler, and Jacob Schindler; and cousins Alan Levin, Betsy Levin, John Levin, Sarah Levin, and their spouses. His marriage to the former Patricia Curran ended in divorce. A celebration of his life was in June in Washington. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at www.cff.org.

Originally published in The Washington Post

Michigan

Richard (Dick) S. Simon, Phi (University of Michigan) 1943

Shy just six months of his 100 birthday, Richard (Dick) S. Simon, Phi (University of Michigan) 1943, has left us for the Chapter Eternal and the embrace of his beloved Nancy.

His moving on leaves us for a space of time in the sad, dark emptiness occasioned by the passing of a friend. Whatever other connections we might have enjoyed with Dick, it’s the loss of that rarest of gifts, his friendship, that leaves us most desolate now.  But when the mourning’s done and our grief turns to fond memories, his good counsel and gratitude for his life, we’ll tell his story whenever he comes to mind. Each time we do we’ll place another stone upon his marker.

Everyone knew Dick Simon was good company. He would enter a room with a story to tell, a hearty laughter at one of yours and if circumstance called, a listening ear and an empathetic heart. He held the secret of mutual trust which endeared him to many: give much, ask for little, forget the bad, remember the good and when needed, be there, no excuses. To be in his circle was comforting, ennobling and fun.

He was a ‘happy warrior’ for whatever his cause or relationship. Even in tough times with hard choices to be made, Dick had the skill of making one and all feel as though they were in it together; a band of brothers once more into the breach and as much as a celebration of kinship as a struggle to turn the tide.

A marvelous head for many things yet never disconnected from his sensitivity.  His feel for the heavy burdened rested near the surface of his being. Eager to forgive and forget, first in line to welcome home, he was the kind of person you hated to disappoint, but somehow knew he would be there for you anyway.

A wise and giving man, as much by his actions as his words. Even so Dick was not always an even tempered person; events and people could trigger his ire. Yet all knew his momentary flair was a sign of his passion for the thing at hand: his affection for friend and family and the institutions that defined his life. Despite his sometimes hot reactions, he was always a hail fellow well met and all around him were eager to toast his health.

A life time of service to his Pittsburgh, his Temple and particularly the local health community earned him the respect of friend and stranger, those he agreed with and some he did not. His war time service in the South Pacific brought him the regard of his comrades and the thanks of his countrymen.

Zeta Beta Tau was chief among his loves:

• International President
• President of the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation
• Most frequent winner of ZBT’s Sommer Award
• President of the North-American (NIC) Interfraternity Conference
• Recipient of the NIC’s Gold Medal
• Advisor for several chapters in the Pittsburgh area
• Father of another International President
• Grandfather of two ZBTs

More important than his titles and honors, however, was his steadfast commitment to our brotherhood in its darkest days. Future ZBTs yet unborn will walk in the light of our common bond because Dick stood on the wall when times were dangerous, many of our own left the field and much of our surrounding world wished us ill.

His life was full of meaning, honor and truth. Nature and learning and the instinct for servant leadership gave him the sure knowledge that the Brotherhood of all people was as simple as having each other’s back.

For a hundred years he lived and shared his example, his helping hand, his laughter, his wisdom. How lucky are we to have had him with us all this time? How vital it is that we don’t disappoint him?

Published by Zeta Beta Tau via ZBT Today.

Ohio

Ernest “Ernie” Cohen, Nu (The Ohio State University) 1972

Ernie Cohen, 71, of Barrel Springs Drive in Orange Park, Fla., died July 12, 2021, at Haven Hospice of Orange Park.

Ernie is survived by his wife, Joann; two daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon and Bradley Herbst of Jacksonville, and Jackie and Brian Bukstein of Chicago; sister and brother-in-law, Shelley and Mark Schulman of Cleveland; four grandchildren, Sydney and Andrew Herbst, and Joshua and Zachary Bukstein; three sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Debbie and Lou Bauer of Jacksonville, Lisa and Tobin Shepardson of Northeast, Pa.; and Jim and Denise Murphy of North Lawrence, N.Y.; four nephews, Howie (Lindsay), Kenny (Brittany) and Jeffrey (Alison) Schulman, and Brett Bauer; a niece, Becca Shepardson; two great-nieces and one great-nephew; and his step-mother-in-law, Marcia Murphy of Cassadaga, N.Y. He was predeceased by a sister, Hallie Cohen, in 2009.

Ernie was born Feb. 25, 1950, in South Euclid, the son of Elaine and Manuel “Mannie” Cohen. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from The Ohio State University in 1972 and served as secretary and president of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. Upon graduation, Ernie joined the family business – American Steel Drum Co. – and became vice president.

After the company closed, he began a highly successful career in sales management in various industries in the Cleveland area such as Kinzua Environmental and Wirtshafters Inc. He married Joann Murphy on Oct. 7, 1994, in Painesville. In 1996, Ernie opened his own firm – At Your Service – a multi-faceted personal-service business which operated successfully for several years before the Cohens decided to leave Ohio for Orange Park in February 2003. Once settled, he started another business, Software Unlimited, and eventually transitioned into a position as a regional sales representative in the credit-card-processing field where he was recognized as a top producer and deal closer. He then joined Haven Hospice as the Clay County professional liaison in January 2012 and immersed himself in the meetings, activities and events of Clay County to promote Haven Hospice and its mission which dramatically increased the agency’s profile in the community.

After two years, he accepted a similar position at Oak View Rehabilitation Center where he also became a member of the board of directors with Kids First of Florida – a non-profit dedicated to providing adoption and foster-care services to children emerging from abusive situations. By August 2015, as the board explored a new marketing approach to increase awareness and support for the Kids First program, Ernie stepped into a newly created role as not only as the community liaison for Kids First, but also the liaison for its sister non-profit agency – Clay Behavioral Health Center. Ernie became a very active member and eventually vice president of the Clay County Senior Adult Advocacy Council where guests at the annual fundraising barbecue could anticipate seeing Ernie wearing a pig or turkey costume in summer or an elf or gingerbread boy outfit at Christmastime, and he was also known to turn up dressed as a jockey, ballerina or whatever outfit the occasion demanded. At the same time, Ernie was an extremely popular and in-demand master of ceremonies. His outrageous sense of humor, infectious enthusiasm and gift for provoking people with just the right balance of mischief and humor made him a natural to host community-networking groups and signature Clay County events.

He was an avid Cleveland Browns fan who held season tickets for more than 20 years until the team “ripped his heart out” by moving to Baltimore. Some of his greatest joy came from watching his grandchildren participate in artistic performances and sports and from being part of a cause or team that helped and supported children.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date in Orange Park, Florida.

Services were in July at Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel, 1985 S. Taylor Road in Cleveland Heights. Interment is at Mount Olive Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in Ernie’s name to Kids First of Florida/Clay Behavioral Health Center, 1726 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park, FL, 32073.

Originally published in the Cleveland Jewish News