THREE GENERATIONS OF TIGERS — Last month Zach Mallin graduated summa cum laude with a business degree in finance, banking and real estate from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Several Mallins traveled to Columbia to celebrate with Zach, including his father,
Jeffrey Mallin (class of 1981); grandfather Larry Mallin (class of 1952); and aunt, Shirley Rose (class of 1942). “It was a real blessing for all of us to be there, and to all be Mizzou grads,” said proud father Jeff. As for his Aunt Shirley, “To think of a woman not only going, but graduating college in 1942, that’s just pretty cool.” This month Zack will become the fourth generation Mallin to join Mallin Brothers Company, Inc., which was founded by the late Harry Mallin. “I’m very excited to have him and his talents in the business, and to be able to work with my father and my son is just indescribable,” Jeff said.
D-DAY REMEMBERED — Tomorrow, June 6, marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day, when 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline on the beaches of Normandy, France. I imagine there were many Jewish soldiers who made the landing at Normandy that day. I know for sure that the late Walter Marks, who lived in this area from 1960 until he passed away in 2009, was one.
His wife Joan March tells us Major March was a meteorologist in the Army stationed in England. “When they were thinking about the invasion they needed meteorologists to check the weather because there were a lot of problems with it,” Joan March said. Walter served from 1941 until the war was over. After the war was over in Europe he went to the Philippines. During his service he was a Jewish lieutenant commander of the first “colored” troop, which Joan said it was called at the time, in New Jersey, which was very rare.
“He never talked about his Army career at all,” Joan said. In fact when he was in Europe on a combined business and pleasure trip, he was asked, “Aren’t you going to go to Normandy?” He replied, “Why, I’ve already been there.”
While he was still living, Walter, who was one of the founders of the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, got a citation from the state of Missouri for landing at Normandy.
As we commemorate this anniversary, we commend all who landed on Normandy, and salute everyone who fought in World War II for their bravery in saving the world from tyranny.
HE DID IT — K.C. native Craig Kohn didn’t quite reach his goal of raising $1,000 dollars for OHEL (http://www.ohelfamily.org/), an organization that provides a variety of family services including foster care, mental health, disability services and elder care services we told you about on May 8. Even though he only raised $489 for the cause, organizers decided to let him go ahead and rappel down the 20-story Heritage Capital Group Building. “It was cool, but not so much fulfilling as learning Torah and doing mitzvoth,” Kohn said of his adventure. The BIAV member who is currently living in New York is still accepting donations for the cause. To do so, visit the sponsor page on http://www.wizathon.com/ohel-xtreme/index.php.
