Mortimer Kadushin, 92

Mortimer Kadushin, 92, of Lancaster, died September 4, 2006, at Hospice of Lancaster County. Son of the late Anna and Harry Kadushin, he was born in Port Washington, New York and was raised on a farm in Nanuet, NY. At age 16, he obtained a milk dealer’s license and went on to establish Kadushin Dairies, delivering his own brand of milk and establishing a successful ice cream and dairy bar called the Milky Way in Nanuet, New York.

He married Shirley Levine in 1942. He served in the Army as a quartermaster at West Point, 1942-1946, and co-founded Allied Surgical Supply in 1948 in Lancaster, which he and his wife ran until his retirement in 1982. He was active in trade groups such as the Health Industries Distribution Association, and the American Surgical Trade Association.

He served in a leadership role in many civic organizations, including treasurer of the Rockland County Board for Eradication of Tuberculosis and Bovine Mastitis, chair of the Lancaster County Board of Assistance, and was on the Board of the Lancaster Jewish Community Center. He was active in the Optimist Club of Lancaster for nearly 40 years, where he was an officer and was awarded the “I. Wayne Keller” award in 1977.  He was a treasurer and trustee for many years of the Lancaster County Historical Society, and was awarded the honor of emeritus trustee. Morty was a Board member of the Lancaster Branches of the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association. He was a founder of the Edward Hand Medical Heritage Foundation, where his roles ranged from Board member to medical artifact appraiser to tour guide. He also received the Paul Harris Fellow award from Rotary International.  Mortimer was a longtime member of Lancaster Lodge 134 BPOE. He and his family were proud recipients of the Jewish Family Services family of the Year award, 2005.

As a member of Temple Beth El of Lancaster, he was involved on the Board, the building committee and on many other committees. For many years he was responsible for its cemetery and for formulating many of its policies and procedures.  He was awarded the “Man of the Year” award in 1983, and was given the “Loving Kindness Award” for service to the bereaved in 1994.

His wife, Shirley, with whom he celebrated their 64th anniversary in February, survives him. Children, Mona Kadushin Berch, wife of Mark (Silver Spring, MD), Stephen E. Kadushin, husband of Kerry (Lancaster), and Marian R. Kadushin, companion of George J. Sotos (Chicago), 6 grandchildren: David A. Kadushin, Laura A. Kadushin, Joshua H. Berch, Ezra M. Berch, Kelly M. Westcott, and Andrew D. Miller, and Loretta M. Ackerhalt, sister-in-law.

He will be missed.

Services will be held 11:00 am, Wednesday, September 6, at Temple Beth El, 1836 Rohrerstown Rd., Lancaster. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am. Interment will follow at the Temple Beth El Cemetery. Shiva services will be held at the residence, beginning Wednesday evening at 7 pm evening through Friday morning. 

Please omit flowers. Donations may be made to Temple Beth El, Lancaster.