Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
FUNERAL HOME
Pincus Kolender Obituary
KOLENDER, Pincus Entered into eternal rest on the morning of February 29, 2008, Pincus Kolender, husband of Janet Buxbaum Kolender. Residence, Charleston, SC. The relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. Pincus Kolender are invited to attend the funeral services of the former, at eleven o'clock Sunday, March 2, 2008, at the graveside in Brith Sholom Beth Israel Cemetery, Maryville . Mr. Kolender was born February 8, 1926 in Bochnia, Poland, the son of Yachiel Kolender and Rachael Jungerwirt Kolender, and the brother of Avrum and Roisa Kolender, all of whom perished in the Holocaust. He served in the United States Army during The Korean Conflict. He was a member of Brith Sholom Beth Israel Synagogue and the former owner/operator of Globe Furniture Company. He is survived by his wife of Charleston, SC; two sons: Dr. Marc H. Kolender (Ellen) of Charleston, SC and Jeffrey A. Kolender (Debbi) of Rockville, MD; one daughter: Risa K. Walter (Rich) of New Haven, CT; one step-son: Jerald B. Yanuck of Ashland, OR; two step-daughters: Ellen Y. Rosenblum (Alan) of McLean, VA and Kathryn Y. Wenger (Bob) of Chevy Chase, MD; ten grandchildren: Ari and Amy, David, Daniel, Elise, Rene, Mira, Clay, Brett and Natalie. Memorials may be made to The Pincus Kolender Memorial Fund, Brith Sholom Beth Israel Synagogue, 182 Rutledge Avenue, Charleston, SC 29403 or U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, Washington, DC 20024. Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR, INC., DOWNTOWN CHAPEL. Visit our guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Pincus Kolender
Susan Goldman
March 17, 2008
It was a year today that I last saw Pincus. He honored us with his presence at our daughter's bat mitzvah. Pincus was always a big part of our simchas, and we will miss him dearly. I think about him daily and know that the world is a better place because of him.
Javier Barton
March 11, 2008
I am deeply grieved by the loss of Pincus as are many people. I am just sorry i never got to meet him he must have been a wonderful and couragous man.
My Deepest Sympathy,
Javier Barton
Joyce and Walter Winston
March 9, 2008
Janet: We regret that we did not meet Pincus.....Marvin has told us a great deal about him over the years, we thought we knew him. We did know that he was special. Our thoughts are with you.
Meg and Jim Wolf
March 7, 2008
We are new to the extended Kolender family but we knew we would love you all because Amy loved you from the moment she met you. Our hearfelt sympathy on the loss of a wonderful man. We are glad that we had the chance to meet him and will honor him with a donation to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Robert Liberman
March 7, 2008
On behalf of Angie and our entire family, we extend to you our deepest sympathies.
Although we currently residing in Maryland, our hearts are still in Charleston and we feel very much connected to all of our friends there.
Pincus was always an inspiration to me; despite the horrors he witnessed in his lifetime, there was always a smile on his face and kind words on his lips.
In particular, I remember the time I interviewed him for a college paper I was writing about the Shoah. He was very welcoming to me, and was very open and willing to discuss the most horrific memories of his experiences at the "University of Auchwitz" as he would call it.
We were honored to know him.
May you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Yerushalayim.
Evelyn and Saul Straus
March 5, 2008
Although we only met Pincus once we share in your sorrow. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the day and evening thoroughly. Our hearts go out to you.
Sharon and Howard Robinson
March 4, 2008
Our most sincere condolences to you all on Pincus' passing. I fondly remember him over the past years. Pincus was a kind, giving, and sincere person. My best wishes to all the family.
Denise Deveaux
March 4, 2008
Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
Pincus will be greatly missed by all those who had the honor of knowing him. All the students whose lives he touched in sharing his story will forever be changed. Pincus was an amazing man whose gentle spirit left such an imprint on many. I pray that the Kolender family will find peace in knowing that Pincus was loved by so many and we thank you for sharing him with us. I cherish the sweet little kisses he placed on our cheeks. I know he will be remembered by the soft words he spoke in spite of the tragedies he endured. Pincus, we will miss you!
Lee Feinberg
March 3, 2008
To the Kolender family,
On behalf of my family, I extend my heartfelt condolences on the passing of Pincus.
Having grown up around the "corner" (I guess there are no corners on a "Circle") or over the fence, our lives were somewhat entertwined going to the same school (CHI), same sports environment (JCC) and same synagogue (BSBI). Although I have not been back home or seen any of ya'll lately, I still remember the warmth conveyed both by him and your late mother, Renee, anytime I went over or saw them.
I know Toby and Risa still do a girls' weekend every year, so I catch up that way.
I will let the words of the kohanim ease your sorrow and grief at this time:
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Again, our sincerest condolences.
Lee, Mikki, Sophie & Jake Feinberg
Alan Goldberg
March 3, 2008
I have known Pincus all of my life and always felt that he had been tapped to carry a message to those of us that did not share his Holocaust experience so that humanity would always remember the atrocities. His courage was incredible and we shall dearly miss him.
Pincus was considered part of my family and would always attend our family functions where we enjoyed his stories and thoughts. He never missed one of my sons’ Bar Mitzvahs in Atlanta and would always come for our summer parties on Sullivan’s Island. My nephew, Max Goldman, spent a great deal of time interviewing Pincus and did a major paper on him for his 8th grade class.
This is especially sad for me since I had only recently spoken with him and Janet a number of months ago to request that he be a key note speaker at our upcoming Healthcare Financial Management Association as an inspirational speaker. He had agreed to do the engagement, but our next few meetings in Georgia at the time were already booked, so I was trying to get him on the agenda for our August meeting in Hilton Head where his message would have been heard by over 300 attendees.
I am just grateful to have known this great and inspirational person. May you rest in peace and may peace be with the Kolender family.
Leslie, Barry, Carolyn, Ted and Joey Sandler
March 3, 2008
Our thoughts and prayers are with your family at this time.
Cindy Dipace, Lesia Howe, Michele Odom
March 3, 2008
Dr. Kolender,
Our hearts go out to you and your family at this difficult time. Your Dad was a really sweet gentleman who will be greatly missed by all who were blessed enough to have known him.
We will keep you and your family in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.
Bless you all.
Fletcher Crossman
March 3, 2008
What a gracious, inspiring man Pincus was. I was so sorry to hear of his passing, but his family can take comfort from knowing what a huge influence he was on so many of us.
Martha Popowski Berlin
March 2, 2008
All of the Popowski family are very sad to learn of Pincus's passing. We loved him. He lived with our parents, also Holocaust survivors, when he first came to Charleston. He holds a special place in all of our hearts. We always got a big smile and a warm hug from Pincus from the time we were children through the present. He will be deeply missed.
Madolyn and Ralph Geldbart
March 1, 2008
We extend our sympathy to all of you at this time. May wonderful memories sustain you all through the days ahead.
Sincerely,
Madolyn and Ralph Geldbart
Renee Zinn Gordon
March 1, 2008
I remember Mr. Kolender fondly. As a youngster working in my family business, Zinn's Deli, I saw Mr. Kolender often. He was always kind and nice to everyone. Such a fine man to have experienced such a grotesque experience as a youngster. He deserved the best. His children can be proud of this wonderful man who was an exemplary human being. My condolences to his family.
Jeff Biel, Capt, USN (RET)
March 1, 2008
Pincus told his story and the Holocaust History to every class of Americorps National Civilian Community over our 13 years. He never failed to inspire us with his history and his corage. Each of us is a better person for knowing him. I will miss him greatly!
JB Harris
March 1, 2008
I write to express my condolences to Mrs. Kolender and to the Kolender family over the loss of their father and grandfather. I also want to share with them my interaction with Mr. Kolender only weeks before his passing that has left me and my family with lasting impressions of his kindness, wisdom and generosity.
By way of introduction, I’m friends with Jeffrey and attended the old CHI day school with him when I was a kid. As we got older, Mr. Kolender would often drive us to and from Bar Mitzvah parties in his Globe Furniture pick-up truck, in which he’d allow us kids to pile in the back, wild and free.
I moved from Charleston following my Bar Mitzvah and returned to live in Mt. Pleasant after being away for more than 35-years to work for a national law firm. This past year, my oldest son transferred to Moultrie Middle School from Cario. Being the “new kid on the block” he drew fire from some of the kids in his class.
Unfortunately, at one point, ribbing turned to hazing, which then led to epithets of anti-Semitism being hurled at him along with rocks, gum and other garbage. After I volunteered to get involved, my son asked me not to and told me he would handle it. But rather than take matters into his own hands, he courageously brought his concerns to those in authority at the school, who quickly brought the matter to an end.
Merely silencing intolerance, however, is not the same as educating the ignorant about its consequences. Wanting to turn a negative experience into a positive one, I contacted the school and offered to assist in having Pincus, and his friend Mr. Joe Engle, speak to a group of students there about the Holocaust. The school fully supported the idea from the inception and deserves standing applause for its role in making it happen.
As two of only a handful of survivors of Auschwitz, Pincus and Joe were in a unique position to educate the students about intolerance in general, and unbridled anti-Semitism in particular. It just so happened that the 7th grade class, under the guidance of English teacher Katie Rodgers, was completing a section on the Holocaust, so the timing could not have been better.
With the help of Mrs. Leah Chase, I tracked down Pincus and put him in touch with the Ms. Rogers, who in turn helped to coordinate the event. Sure enough, just weeks ago, Pincus and Joe spoke to the 7th graders and their teachers. It may have been Pincus and Joe’s last public appearance together. My son got to attend and was totally enthralled by the recounting of their experience in Auschwitz.
As a tribute to Pincus and Joe, the class and its teachers raised $500, which they donated to the Holocaust Memorial in Washington, DC, in honor of the two. Both men were brought to tears by this act of kindness, as were those in attendance. I was not present for the gathering, but Ms. Rogers informed me that following the speech, the children ran up to Pincus and Joe and hugged them and told them how much they appreciated hearing about their life stories.
Pincus was a hero for having the courage to detail for others the unimaginable; for bearing witness to the most horrific abuse of power and ungoverned hatred directed toward Jews in the modern world. More than that, he was gracious with his time, kind toward others when bitterness could have turned him otherwise, and wise in his ability to convey the meaning of his life in a way so poignant and personal that hopefully history will not repeat itself on such a grand scale ever again.
Like the tolling of a bell, Pincus’ experience will continue to resonate with all those who heard him recount it. I’m just grateful that I got to know him as a young person and that my son and his classmates got to hear him speak before his passing. Thank you Pincus for sharing your story with the rest of us. We’re all better for it. May you rest in peace and may peace be with the Kolender family.
Karen, Harvey, Robbie and Jackie Rumeld
March 1, 2008
To the Kolender family:
Our heartfelt thoughts are with you at this difficult time.
Rumeld
Denny Ciganovic
March 1, 2008
My sympathies to the family. I heard Mr. Kolender speak at an event at the College of Charleston and was very moved by his experience and his determination to educate others so that what happened would not be repeated. I was very touched and impressed with his humanity and feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to see and hear him.
Tom Willis
March 1, 2008
I knew "Pinky" for many years. He was a customer of mine in the furniture business. I also use to see him at Morris Sokol's Fn. I found him to be an individual of great integrity and wonderful sense of humor. On more than one occasion, I would spend several hours with Pinky and discuss his experiences in Poland. He will be greatly missed. God Bless him for he was a special individual.
Debbie Bandy
March 1, 2008
I want to thank Mr. Kolender for his courage. He spoke to the students at Mason Prep school more than once, and he put a face on the best that humanity is capable of as well as the worst. His gentleness as he spoke of atrocities made an impression on my students. They saw, in person, an embodiment of Gandhi's statement : "When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always." Mr. Kolender stood tall.
Showing 1 - 22 of 22 results
Make a Donation
in Pincus Kolender's name
Memorial Events
for Pincus Kolender
How to support Pincus's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor Pincus Kolender's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
