Sigmund Westerman

Sigmund Westerman, of Fair Lawn, NJ, died on April 24, 2025, after a very short illness.
Born on November 10, 1922, in Paterson, New Jersey, to Louis and Edna Westerman, Sigmund led a rich and accomplished life. He graduated from Eastside High School in 1940 and enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942, serving with distinction until his discharge as a First Lieutenant in September 1946. In March of 1946, he married Frances Hochman of Chicago, beginning a devoted partnership that would last 75 years until her passing in 2021.
Upon returning to Paterson, Sigmund joined his family's landmark retail business, Westerman's Infants and Children's Wear, Inc., founded in 1946. Learning the business from the ground up, he eventually became corporation president in 1964. In 1978, after successfully turning over the operation to trusted staff and family, Sigmund embarked on a second career. He returned to school and qualified as a Medical Technologist specializing in Nuclear Medicine, a field in which he worked until his retirement in 2000. Throughout his life, Sigmund remained a longtime member of the Fair Lawn Jewish Center and a life member of the Society of Nuclear Medicine.
In addition to his professional achievements, Sigmund was deeply involved in his community. He served as past president of the Paterson Hebrew Free Loan Association and was a member of the Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey and the Jewish War Veterans Post 651 of Fair Lawn. A talented self-taught painter, he was a former member of the Fair Lawn Art Association. He also sang baritone for ten years with the Orpheus Men's Club Chorus of Ridgewood and was a lifelong sail boating enthusiast.
Sigmund was predeceased by his devoted wife, Frances, in 2021, and his daughter, Professor Sally Jacoby, in 2007. He is survived by his daughter, Laura Beth Brody, his granddaughter, Dena, and his grandson, Evan, and Evan's wife, Colleen. He also leaves behind beloved great-granddaughters Mia Sloan Wimpfheimer and Serena Sage Brody. His legacy of resilience, creativity, and service lives on through his family and all who knew him.
Donations in his memory are welcome to the Paterson Hebrew Free Loan Association, located at 10-10 Norma Avenue, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410, and the Fair Lawn Jewish Center/Congregation B'nai Israel.