Obituary
Erwin B. Chark passed away peacefully on February 11, 2024 at Harmony Village Assisted Living in Moorestown NJ, where he was treasured and cared for four years. Prior to that he resided in Rye NY for over 30 years.
Erwin was born and raised on Chicago's West Side. His maternal grandparents lived with the family and practiced Orthodox Jewish customs. He spoke English and Yiddish at home and became fluent in Spanish. Although he became secular and widely traveled later in life, he was quietly and deeply proud of West Side and Jewish roots.
Erwin graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in Chemistry, and married Estelle Haberman shortly thereafter. His successful career took him and Estelle and their daughters around the Midwest and East Coast of the US. For Mobil Chemical, he lived for a month in France and 3 months in Brazil and acquired fluent French and Portuguese. As International Sales Manager for McLaughlin Gormley King, he traveled to over 100 countries. Meeting people from foreign countries - learning about their cultures and becoming friends - was a passion for him. He also appreciated life's simple pleasures like nature walks. To "get the poisons out" he was an avid swimmer and walker.
He and Estelle separated and divorced after their younger daughter departed for college. Fortunately, he met Janet Ryan at a cocktail party at a college club. She had divorced after raising children Susan, Mark and Douglas, become an international travel agent, was fluent in French and was an enthusiastic world traveler. They married in 1987, traveled together and resided in Rye, NY. The thirty-plus years that they spent together were the happiest of Erwin's life.
As Erwin aged, he developed significant memory loss. In December 2019, Erwin's continued decline forced major life changes. Erwin moved to Harmony Village, Moorestown NJ, where he received more intensive support.
Erwin is survived by his wife Janet Ryan Chark, daughters Alexis Chark Hill, Geri Chark Frankel, sons-in-law David Hill and Rich Frankel, grandsons Russell Hill and Greg Frankel sister-in-law Nancy Chark, nephews Michael Chark, Aaron Chark and niece Sarah Gibrick and their families, the daughters of his brothers the late Howard Chark and Merlyn McFarland, and his stepchildren Susan Ryan Murphy, Mark Ryan and Douglas Ryan and their families. He will be buried near his beloved late brother Alvin Chark.
Donations in his memory may be made to Yiddish Book Center, yiddishbookcenter.org or United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, ushmm.org.
Private service. Please attend via LiveStream, Sunday, February 18 at 12:15 PM CST (1:15 PM EST).
For information, including a link to view the service or to leave condolences: Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, www.shalomemorial.org or (847) 255-3520.