Jack J. Reiff

WORCESTER - Jack Reiff, born Jacob Joseph Reiff, on June 22, 1933 in Brooklyn, NY, son of Lawrence and Edith (Esther Kuhnberg) Reiff, passed away in Worcester on Wednesday, January 23, 2019. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He leaves loving family members, brother David Reiff and wife Linda of Maryland; his beloved children Evan Shepherd Reiff and wife Devatara Holman of Sausalito, CA; his two daughters, Amy (Reiff) Vogler and her husband Bill, of Bethlehem, PA and Debra Reiff of Santa Cruz, CA. He also leaves his loving grandchildren, Gregory Vogler, Nathan and wife Elise, and Jamie Vogler; Garnet Shepherd and wife Jamie. He was pre-deceased by his brother Paul and wife, Phyllis and beloved sister Roslyn (Reiff) and husband, Murray Sivakoff. Jack will also be lovingly remembered by his many nephews and nieces, and their families and especially his nephew Michael Reiff and his wife Tatiana of New York City. He also leaves Sheila Tarlin, his beloved partner of three years who he met in his eighth decade of life who gave him much happiness. They shared all things and they each were a source of strength and support for each other.

Jack enjoyed a very happy, loving life full of excitement. Jack’s interest in travel and skiing brought him to many corners of the world. Skiing with the Worcester Tiroleans helped introduce him to the wonders of the Dolomites, the European Alps and Apres Skiing. These are fond memories that he shall carry wherever his new travels take him.

He left college to volunteer for military service in the Korean War. He was a flight engineer and immersion retriever as a member of the Air Sea Rescue of the U.S. Coast Guard. After his military service Jack married and raised his family in Port Jefferson Long Island with his wife Lee (Heller) Reiff, the mother of his children.
He worked at Fairchild Aircraft and Grumman Aircraft on the design of aircraft components. He then went on to Brookhaven Laboratories working with Atomic Particle studies. He later opened his own laundry and dry-cleaning business, Cavalier Cleaners on Long Island.

While living in Port Jefferson he became president of his Temple Brotherhood, president of B’nai B’rith, president of the Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club.

Jack moved to Worcester in 1974 and made this his home. He continued his education here in Worcester and changed his career path from mechanical engineering to business administration and graduated with a BS degree in Management from Worcester State University.
Jack became a regional sales Manager for Diamond Alkali, a chemical manufacturer before starting WET-TECH, a laundry, water and waste water treatment company known for its positive environmental advances.

Settling in at Temple Emanuel (Sinai) he became the Brotherhood president for twelve years while also participating in other Temple functions such as the building committee for the recent Temple Emanuel Sinai renovation and as chairman of the Brotherhood Scholarship Committee, a project for which he worked diligently for a dozen years right up until his recent illness.

Jack contributed to other community services including serving on the Worcester Airport Commission, Hope Lodge, Worcester Children’s Friends Society, Preservation Worcester as a docent, and for the past several years as the Commander of the Irving Yarock Post #32 of the Jewish War Veterans. He was a member of Level Lodge of the Masonic Order and Aleppo Lodge of the Worcester County Shriners.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, January 25 in Temple Emanuel Sinai, 661 Salisbury St., Worcester under the direction of Miles Funeral Home of Holden. Memorial Service and Reception will be held on Friday January 25 from 2:00-4:30 pm at Temple Emanuel Sinai, 661 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA. Interment will be at Wellwood Cemetery, Long Island on Sunday January 27, 2019 at 12:00 pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Temple Emanuel Sinai Brotherhood Scholarship Fund, the Jewish War Veterans Post #32, or a charity of one’s choice.

May he have a safe and peaceful journey to the ski slopes in Heaven.