Brandeis Magazine

Ronald M. Ansin, Fellow, Friend, of Harvard, Massachusetts, on June 25, 2023. After becoming a leader in the footwear industry, he was named commissioner of commerce in Massachusetts; enjoyed successes in the banking and real estate industries; and was an ardent mentor, philanthropist, and activist for the LGBTQ community. Survived by husband Jim Stork, four children, 10 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Jacob “Jerry” Cohen, Faculty, of Waban, Massachusetts, on Oct. 22, 2023. A professor emeritus of American studies, he taught generations of students during his more than 50 years at Brandeis, was a civil rights activist who wrote prolifically on the John F. Kennedy assassination, and sang the Kol Nidre prayer with a bell-like tenor voice. Survived by wife Helena, three sons, 17 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

James Crown, Friend, of Indian Wells, California, on June 25, 2023. Chairman and CEO of Henry Crown & Co., a privately owned investment firm, he held leadership positions at General Dynamics, Sara Lee, and JPMorgan Chase; was chairman emeritus of the board that oversees the Aspen Institute; and served on President Barack Obama’s intelligence advisory board. Survived by wife Paula, four children, and two grandsons.

Linda Hirshman, Faculty, Brandeis National Committee, of New York City, on Oct. 31, 2023. She taught philosophy and women’s studies at Brandeis from 1996-2002; worked as a union-side labor lawyer; and wrote “Sisters in Law,” a New York Times bestseller surveying the impact of Supreme Court justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, H’96. Survived by a daughter, two stepdaughters, and seven grandchildren.

Mildred Guberman Kravetz, Brandeis National Committee, of Newton, Massachusetts, on Sept. 27, 2023. She helped found Harvard Hillel; served as a social worker in the gerontology field; worked at Brandeis’ Heller School and the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program for 27 years; and was an active member of the Jewish community, including at Combined Jewish Philanthropies. Survived by six children, 12 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Arthur Marcus, Friend, of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, on Oct. 27, 2023. He founded Prestige Sportswear, a women’s apparel firm; served as adviser to the U.S. Department of Commerce; lectured at Harvard Business School; and generously supported philanthropic causes throughout Boston. Survived by wife Hinda, three children, and three grandchildren.

Robert Meyer, Faculty, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, on Nov. 17, 2023. A professor emeritus of physics and founding director of the Brandeis Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, he was a fellow of the American Physical Society; received the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics; and won the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize, considered the highest honor in condensed matter physics in the U.S. Survived by wife Maureen, four children, and four grandchildren.

Walter Brandeis Raushenbush, Friend, of McLean, Virginia, on Nov. 12, 2023. The grandson of Louis D. Brandeis, Brandeis University’s namesake, Walter rose to the rank of colonel in the U.S. Air Force, taught at the University of Wisconsin Law School for four decades, authored four books on property law, and helped develop the Law School Admission Test. Survived by four children and six grandchildren.

Jill Soffer, Friend, of Carbondale, Colorado, on Oct. 3, 2023. She was an interior designer and LEED developer of sustainable homes, a passionate environmentalist, and the founder of a nonprofit and a financial network that sought to stem the tide of the climate crisis. Survived by her partner, Steve Elder, and her father, Donald M. Soffer ’54, H’23.

Henry Strage, Friend, of West Palm Beach, Florida, on Oct. 7, 2023. Known to loved ones as a modern Renaissance man, Henry was a chemical engineer who went on to a decades-long career at McKinsey & Co., leading studies around the globe; he also founded the International Disability Foundation and developed the Project Renewal Program in Israel. Survived by wife Alberta ’56, three children, and 11 grandchildren.

Marjorie Tichnor, Friend, Brandeis National Committee, of Wayland, Massachusetts, on June 29, 2023. A stalwart of the Boston Jewish community and a generous philanthropist, she was involved with numerous organizations, including Brandeis University, Hebrew College, and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and was a lifelong member of Congregation Mishkan Tefila, where she served on the board. Survived by four children, 12 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.

Irving Wiseman, P’81, Friend, of Palm Desert, California, on Nov. 10, 2023. A Montreal native, he founded the footwear company Mercury International Trading Corp., and supported synagogues, museums, educational institutions, and hospitals in his quest to make the world a better place. Survived by four children, including Howard ’81; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.