Sidney Singer Jr., businessman, art collector, and devoted husband passed away on February 19th at 91. He led Finlay Fine Jewelers and Prestige Art as CEO after graduating from Harvard (B.A., M.B.A.).
A connoisseur of classical music and sushi, he hosted over 300 performances in his home “Singer Hall,” welcoming renowned artists including Lang Lang and the Brentano String Quartet. Sid found joy in collecting and investing in art, forging friendships with musicians and artists, and crafting successful business deals.
Above all, he cherished his wife, Shirley, the love of his life, and his five daughters Janet (Andrew), Pam (Craig), Diane (Mike), Jennifer (Steve) and Melissa (Bob) and grandchildren Marina, Matthew, Jessica, Naomi, Layla, and James.
A nonconformist, Sidney Singer Jr. lived with wit and a deep appreciation for life’s finest things. He will be dearly missed.
Mary Filippini, of Mamaroneck, passed away on February 17, 2025, at the age of 62. Born on September 26, 1962, she was the cherished daughter of Mario and Francesca Filippini.
Mary is survived by her husband, John O'Sullivan, and their loving daughter, Claudia O'Sullivan. She also leaves behind her brother, Paul Filippini and her two beloved dogs, Cody and Charlie, who brought her comfort and joy.
Mary was a true New Yorker—her heart and soul were tied to the streets of the city she knew like the back of her hand. She was a passionate traveler, frequently traveling to visit her many friends, but her love for New York City was unmatched. Mary worked in sales in the travel industry, where she shared her love for adventure with others.
Leon D. Starr, of Rye, NY, passed away February 14, 2025 after a long, healthy, and successful life! Lee was born in Boston June 10, 1918 to loving parents Eva and Myer Starr, Jewish emigres who had fled religious persecution in Russia.
A keen intellect, he won a scholarship to Boston Latin School and graduated from Harvard College magna cum laude as a member of Phi Beta Kappa in 1940. He married his sweetheart Adele Landau in 1942, and they were married 64 years until her death in 2006. He later was married to Jacqueline Bellsey for 10 happy years until her death in 2018.
The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the US Navy, went through “90-day wonder” training, and served for four years on a destroyer escort as a communications officer, reaching the rank of lieutenant. While serving in the Atlantic, his ship assisted in sinking a U-boat, rescued more than 600 sailors from a sinking aircraft carrier, and helped in rescue operations of a burning oil tanker.
After discharge from the Navy, he joined Allied Stores, where he worked for over 4 decades becoming a top executive in their PA, TX, and NYC locations. Ever a supporter of social justice causes, in 1963 he helped lead the way in ensuring the smooth racial integration of businesses in Dallas. He was president of Dallas Symphony Orchestra and served on numerous charitable and civic boards throughout his life. After he retired he was a much sought after retail consultant working well into his 90s.
In 1967 he moved from Dallas to Mamaroneck. He joined Beach Point Club, becoming one of its longest-term members and served as Commodore. He was a great sailor and enjoyed sailing for many decades on Long Island Sound with family and friends. Lee wholeheartedly embraced a healthy lifestyle of proper nutrition and exercise. He was a fantastic tennis player and enjoyed playing tennis, often weekly, until he was 97 years old.
He was an enthusiastic supporter of the arts, collecting art, attending lectures and exhibits, as well as plays and musicals. He had a phenomenal memory for the lyrics of The Great American Songbook, being able to recite lyrics to almost any song well into his 10th decade.
A true lifelong learner, he was very involved as an alumnus of both The Boston Latin School and Harvard University, taking great pride in both institutions, speaking at, and regularly attending alumni and university events, including at age 100 attending the Harvard Yale football game where he was interviewed on the field and broadcast on the jumbotron. He was an avid reader belonging to several book clubs and discussion groups right up until his passing, and he truly enjoyed his morning paper!
Lee was a wonderfully loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend, mentor, and source of unconditional love and support to many. He is survived by son Jonathan and his wife Angel Davis, of Framingham, MA, son Frederick and his wife Kelly Starr of Roswell, GA, and granddaughter Hazel Kiefer and her husband Adam Kaszynski and their sons Clay and Eden, of Lynn MA, as well as several close nieces and nephew, including David Starr, of Brookline, MA, Jennifer Brochin, of Israel, Joan Blackman of Newton, MA and Annie Kirshner of Chicago, IL.
Glenn L. Barasch passed away peacefully in his home in Columbus, Ohio on February 5th, 2025 at the age of 53.
Glenn was a New York native, born in Port Chester, NY on November 26, 1971, to Robert Barasch and Patricia Sckolnik. He was raised in Mamaroneck, NY, where he became a decorated athlete for both football and baseball. As an adult, Glenn would go on to start a family and a business of his own, which he fostered for years in New York until he chose to relocate to Columbus, Ohio following the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Once in Ohio, Glenn and his wife, Rebecca Ripley, raised their two sons, Brendan and Bryce Barasch. Years later, Glenn admirably chose to return to school and attain a degree in Sports Medicine and Fitness Technology from Kaiser University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from which he graduated in 2017. His professional endeavors then took him to Minnesota for a period of time, where he garnered global recognition for his accomplishments in health care as a branch executive. In 2021, Glenn returned to Columbus, Ohio to spend his remaining years with his two sons. He was inducted into the Mamaroneck High School Hall of Fame in 2018.
Glenn was a friend to everyone and an enemy to none. His endless and infectious charisma and charm informed an incredible sense of humor, for which anyone who knew him will never forget. He was a force to be reckoned with but never shied away from showing empathy and vulnerability to his loved ones. Glenn’s friends and family were always the focus of his life and his greatest joy.
You could often find him on the golf course with his sons, cracking jokes and enjoying life. As he always said, “a bad day on the course beats a good day at work.”
Glenn is survived by his two sons, Brendan and Bryce Barasch; as well as his four brothers, Brian Barasch, Bob Barasch, Scott Barasch, and John Bartlett; his two sisters, Susan Maynard, and Lynn Anne Bartlett; his father, Robert Barasch; his mother, Patricia Sckolnik; his Stepmother, Edith Z. Barasch; Stepfather, Carl Sckolnik; and his many nieces and nephews, whom he loved dearly.
Maureen Agnes (Devaney) Melley, 81, was born July 14, 1943 in Brooklyn and died on January 30, 2025 in Stamford, Connecticut. She is preceded in death by her parents, Muriel (Flood) and Daniel Joseph Devaney, her beloved husband, Peter Joseph Melley, and her infant son, Kevin Melley.
Maureen was born and raised in Brooklyn where she lived until her family moved to Manhasset, New York. She attended Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Syosset and Immaculata Junior College in Washington, DC. Maureen worked at Amoco until she married Peter on February 17, 1968. They lived in Huntington, NY before settling in Armonk, NY where they raised their young family until 1982.
Years of adventure followed as they moved to Miami and then to Trinidad. In 1985, the Melley family relocated to Shaker Heights, Ohio. Sadly, Peter passed away in 2004. Maureen relocated to Evanston, IL to be close to her daughter Erin’s family. Most recently, Maureen moved back to her roots in New York. She spent the last year and a half in Mamaroneck, NY embraced by extended family and happily reunited with her dearest old friends.
Maureen had a gift for bringing people together, making everyone feel special, and collecting stories. Maureen’s family and friends were her life’s focus and her greatest joy. She knew no strangers. She was extremely thoughtful and always took a genuine interest in others. She was a master of hospitality, an extraordinary cook and baker, and someone who could turn even the simplest gathering into a memorable celebration.
Maureen faced health challenges later in life but always remained positive. She inspired her family and friends with her amazing courage, humor, determination and optimistic attitude.
She leaves behind a family who adored her, and will miss her every day: her brothers, Daniel (Pattie) Devaney and Brian (Maura) Devaney; her children, Colleen (Kurt) Hultgren, Erin (Charlie Heintz) Melley, Patrick (Elizabeth) Melley, and Michael (Sage) Melley; and her cherished grandchildren, who knew her affectionately as Momo: Olivia, Turner, and Jake Melley; Maggie and Michaela Heintz; Bridget and Kevin Hultgren; and Breck and Bailey Melley. She was also deeply loved by her nieces, nephews and friends, old and new.
