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March 12, 2011
Sheldon “Shooky” Rothstein, of Scranton and Coconut Creek, Fla., passed away Saturday, March 12, 2011. His wife is the former Guitelle Brandwene.
Shooky was born in Easton, Pa., on May 14, 1923. He was a son of the late Morris and Anna Harris Rothstein.
He moved to Scranton upon the death of his mother in 1936. He lived with his aunt and uncle, the late Nat and Lillian Harris Branker, and was brought up in Branker’s Deli on Penn Avenue in Scranton.
Upon graduating from Central High School, he entered St. Thomas College, now the University of Scranton. When war broke out, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served two years as a Bombardier with the 15th Air Force stationed in southern Italy. He flew 32 missions in a B-17 over enemy territories in Italy, Germany and Hungary. Upon discharge, he resumed his education and graduated from the University of Scranton.
He and his wife Guitelle opened their first deli on Mulberry Street in 1949 which grew, and subsequently they opened Shooky’s Delis in Allentown, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton with the help of their sons, Terry and Steven.
During this time, Shooky found time to sing in the men’s holiday choir for 22 years at Temple Israel under the direction of the late Rev. William S. Horn. He supported many civic and religious organizations, and, in his retirement, he served as a volunteer at the Jewish Home of N.E.P.A. rarely missing a Shabbos service in their chapel.
Shooky is survived by his wife and constant companion, Guitelle. Also surviving are sons, Terry and wife, Donna, and Steven and wife, Sally; and grandchildren, Alison Rothstein and Jeffrey Rothstein and wife, Katie.
The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Carlucci-Golden-DeSantis Funeral Home Inc., 318 E. Drinker St., Dunmore, with services by Rabbi Samuel Sandhaus and Rabbi Joseph Mendelsohn. Interment will be held in Temple Israel Cemetery, Dunmore.
The family will receive friends in the funeral home from noon until the time of service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jewish Home of N.E.P.A., 1101 Vine St., Scranton, PA 18510, or to the donor’s favorite charity.
To offer an online condolence, please visit www.DunmoreFuneralHome.com.