NATHAN SZAFRAN

NATHAN SZAFRAN March 19, 1925-June 5, 2015 Nathan Szafran passed away unexpectedly in the early hours of Friday, June 5, 2015, in Las Vegas, at the age of 90. Nathan was preceded in death by his parents, Hersz Icek Szafran and Fajga Rywka Hecht Szafran; and siblings, brothers, Bejzy "Barish," Shimshon and Mosze "Moishe," and sisters, Kajla Frymet and Sura Pesa Szafran, all of Strykow, Poland, and all of whom who perished in the Holocaust. Nathan, a survivor of Auschwitz, is survived by his loving wife, Shirley Bienstock Szafran of Syracuse, N.Y., and Las Vegas; brother and fellow Auschwitz survivor, Daniel Szafran and his wife, Simona Dulzer Szafran, of Las Vegas; daughter, Karyne Szafran; son, Barry Szafran; grandchildren, Katie Szafran, Nicole Clayman, Jacob Clayman, Joshua Szafran and Kristen Szafran; great-grandchildren, Damian and Isaiah Brown; nephew, Dr. Zvi Szafran; and niece, Drorit Szafran. Nathan immigrated to the United States in May 1950 and settled in Syracuse. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Germany during the Korean War. After discharge, Nathan returned to Syracuse, where he met his soon-to-be wife, Shirley. They were engaged after a short courtship of only three months and were married Aug. 24, 1958 and celebrated 56 years of marriage together. Despite a limited education, attending school only until the fourth grade when he had to leave school to work with his father, Nathan was a successful businessman, a home contractor, who performed painting services throughout Syracuse until his retirement in 1995. Upon his retirement, he and Shirley moved to Las Vegas, where his brother, Daniel, soon joined him. Nathan was passionate about his family, often bragging about the one month he took off from work every summer to spend vacation time with his wife and grandchildren, taking them to Niagara Falls, amusement parks, petting zoos, state fairs, boating trips and ocean shores. He also took two to three months every year to visit his hometown of Strykow, where he had many wonderful and loving friends. Nathan was loved by all who knew him. He loved life, and lived his own to the fullest. Burial was Friday, June 12, at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Veterans Memorial Drive, Boulder City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to honor Nathan's life and spirit to the Holocaust Survivors Group of Southern Nevada, P.O. Box 371434, Las Vegas, NV 89137.