ARNOLD RATNER

My sincere condolences to the Ratner family, and, to Craig for the loss of his dad. Hold on to all those great memories and take care.

Elissa R. Outtrim, Esq.

Mea culpa for omitting sister number three (of five) - Esther Parotz Melowsky. My family tree is incorrect.
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Arnold, my oldest first cousin, once did something that was so memorable and important to me that I will always cherish that grateful memory. When I was about 12 and he about 29, he came into NY (Laurelton) for the Jewish holidays. He was utterly amazed and upset that I was wearing a pair of newly-bought pants, heavily pleated (before pleats were in style) and bought while accompanied by my fashion-challenged father. He promptly got my cousin Arthur (one year younger) and piled the two of us into his car. He then drove us from Laurelton (in the outer reaches of Queens) into Manhattan where he parked close to Brooks Brothers. At BB, he proceeded to get each of us fitted with a pair of elegant charcoal-grey straight-front (i.e., no pleats), which I proceeded to proudly wear on dates each Friday and Saturday night for about the next 5-6 years, until they finally ripped under the crotch.
These days, I wear a lot of Armani, Ferragamo, etc., often bought on sale. While my sartorial sense may have other roots also, none was more important than that day with my cousin Arnold. I'm very saddened by his death and am sorry I cannot attend the funeral.

My condolences to Arnold's family. He was my second cousin once removed although we may never have met. My mother Evelyn Ziv was very close to her cousins the Parotz sisters (Sophie, Minnie, Eva and Pearl). Arnold's mother was Sophie Parotz.
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