Brother Bernie on left.  

in Marcelle's parents, Oscar and Adella Shacks, backyard in Annapolis

1946

With Parents, Jacob(far right) and Yetta(nest to Jacob).  

Bernie, Sam and Hy

1940?

Marcelle's parents back yard in Annapolis

In backyard of Marcelle's parents, Oscar and Adella Shacks
37 Murray Avenue, Annapolis 

Brothers Sam with spouse Anna, Bernie and Pearl and Hy and Marcelle
 

Pictured are Hy's brothers and their wives. Hy's cousins and spouses and Hy's parents(seated on the right)

I have such warm memories of Uncle Hy, beginning from my Bat Mitzvah, when I first remember him bringing Dale into our lives and my parent's home in Maryland. From then on, I don't think they ever missed a family event!

When Wayne and I moved to Tucson,  Hy and Dale came for each of our children's b'nai mitzvot and weddings.  And, the day after we moved into our home some 20 years ago, Hy and Dale came to visit and helped hang pictures.  They had just come from Sedona, Arizona, where Hy, then in his 70s, had gone down Slide Rock!  From that point on, he was our hero!  Adventurous and fun-loving into his retirement.

Our favorite photo of Hy is "that's my uncle" that we staged at several family events.  the latest was 5 generations, including our grandson Benny, pointing to our son Josh, pointing to my brother David, pointing to my Uncle Mel, pointing to Uncle Hy.  How great it was that he was a part of our lives. We will cherish his memory.

Our sincere condolences to Dale, Jay and Janna.

Love, Heidi and Wayne Brent

      My Uncle Hy is gone. He was eight years old when I was born. I always idolized and idealized him. To me, he was a handsome, charming, intelligent role model.

     My mother, Anna Gelman, told a story about her smart little brother-in-law. When my father, Sam, introduced her to his family, Hy was about 6 and Bernie was a baby. She and Hy formed an instant friendship. When he was about 7, Anna was visiting, along with many other relatives. She noticed that Hy had been crying and was upset. She quietly took him aside. He told her that his harried, immigrant parents did not understand him. They were busy with their laundry store all week. They entertained relatives on their only day off. They had little patience to figure out what the piece of paper that he was showing them was. It turned out to be a check for $2.  In 1928, $2 was a LOT OF MONEY!  Hy had won it at school for being an outstanding student. But, poor Bubbe Yetta and Zaide Yeakel (as I called them) had no experience with checks. Anna explained to them that they could convert this “piece of paper” into real cash. Then the whole family could rejoice in how smart little Hymie was.

      Hy was in the first graduating class of Queens College. He was a psychology major and had done intelligence testing on my sister, Gloria, and me. We avidly followed his progress. It was an era when many children of immigrant families barely finished High School. How proud we were to attend his graduation from college!

      By this time, it was around 1941. World War II was raging. Hy volunteered to go into the Navy. He was sent to Annapolis. Three months later he emerged as one of the “Ninety Day Wonders”—a Naval Officer. I’ll never forget how handsome he looked in his dazzling, white uniform.

      There are infinite numbers of stories that we could tell. We can only hit a few highlights- about his successful career; about his insistence that Dale get her PhD, because she deserved it; about how he stayed young by pursuing adventures and staying involved and dancing like a movie star, with his beloved, Dale.    

       Yes.  These are a few of my recollections of my Uncle Hy.....

        The thought that most comforts me is that I was able to see him in September. He still recognized me. He held my hand and said, “It has been a long time.” The rest of his speech was unintelligible.

       It was during a rare trip east to Maryland, planned mostly to see him, as well as other relatives and friends. Dale graciously invited Heidi and Wayne, my daughter and son-in-law, to dinner. Looking at Hy, it was hard to accept that only 2 years before, he and Dale had danced at my grandson, Josh’s, wedding in Tucson.

       During those two years, my beloved husband, Lenny, died. I am trying to re-invent my life and take care of myself, so I won’t be a burden to my children. In my heart, I want everything else to stay the same to give me stability. However, other very unsettling events have intruded.

        And now, my Uncle Hy is gone.......