Dr. Sidney B. Parmet

Dr. Sidney B. Parmet, age 99, of Allentown died Sunday, May 28, 2023 in his home. He was the beloved husband of the late Dr. Harriet Parmet (nee Leibowitz) for over 72 years, loving father of Dr. Howard Parmet (Marilyn) and Dr. Jonathan “Yoni” Parmet (Dena), devoted grandfather to Andrew, Daniel and Tamar.  He was the dear brother of the late Dr. Morton Parmet (Dorothy). His family affectionately gave him the nickname “Puz”. 

 

Born in Pottsville, PA in 1924, he was the son of the late Benjamin and Anna (nee Slepian) Parmet.  His parents owned the Model Millinery Shop at 408 N. Centre Street in Pottsville, where they lived in the apartment above the store.  Sidney’s father passed away just before his Bar Mitzvah, and his mother continued to run the business while raising her two boys with an appreciation for hard work, a commitment to Jewish values, and a strong moral compass.

 

Sidney enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 18, wanting to do his part when he heard about the atrocities going on in Europe.  He was a Private First Class in the 157th regiment of the 45th Infantry Division. He trained at Camp Rucker in Macon, Georgia, and was assigned the job of carrying the magazine cartridges for the Browning automatic rifle (BAR).  He headed overseas on the cargo ship The Empress of Scotland, and landed in Casablanca in Nov, 1943.  After traveling by train across North Africa to Oran, Tunisia he went by ship to Naples, Italy, and received the order that his division was assigned to land at Anzio. He landed on D+3. His group was on the front lines for about 30 days, and they suffered heavy casualties.  While he was carrying wounded in a gully, during heavy artillery fire with a tiger tank bearing down on his Company, he was captured by the Germans and taken behind enemy lines.

 

After a circuitous route over a 4-5 week period he eventually was brought to Stalag 7B in Memmingen, Germany, where he was interned for 15 months. His mother was notified that he was missing in action in February 1944.  Four months later, she received a telegram that he was alive and had been captured and was a prisoner of the Nazis.    When the war ended, Sidney and his fellow prisoners were liberated, and he returned home in May 1945. Sidney often recalled the time he was reunited with his mother as one of his most precious memories.

 

Sidney was honorably discharged and received the following awards and decorations: Bronze Star, Prisoner of War Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Honorable Service Lapel Button.

 

Sidney then attended Muhlenberg College in an accelerated program on the GI Bill, and entered Temple University Dental School.  He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1951.  After apprenticing in Philadelphia, he established his own dental practice in 1957 in Northampton, PA, where he practiced for over 40 years.   

 

While at Temple, he met his life partner Harriet Leibowitz, and they were married in 1950.  They moved to Allentown in 1957, along with Harriet’s mother “Bubbie Belle”. They were active members of Temple Beth El in Allentown, and Congregation Brith Shalom in Bethlehem.  Sidney was very grateful to the Veteran’s Administration, and especially the Home Based Primary Care team, for their dedication and exemplary care.  

 

Family and friends are invited to his Funeral Service Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 11AM precisely at GOLDSTEINS’ ROSENBERG’S RAPHAEL-SACKS 6410 N. Broad St. Phila PA 19126. Interment is at Montefiore Cemetery. Shiva to be observed at the home of Dena and Yoni Parmet.

 

Contributions in Dr. Sidney B. Parmet’s memory may be made to:

Temple University, Kornberg School of Dentistry, Dean’s Scholarship Fund,  3223 North Broad Street, Room 348, Philadelphia, PA 19140; or Jewish War Veterans of the USA, 1811 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009.