Hello. It has been a much needed week and a half away from here and communicating with you all. The outpouring of support and respect paid to Hal has been nothing short of breathtaking.
Dad’s cremation has been taken care of and he will be laid to sea on Friday June 8 from San Pedro. We willnotbe going or participating, but we are doing two memorial services for Dad.
The Las Vegas Memorial is Wed, June 13, 2012 at 3:00 PM at Temple Sinai 9001 Hillpointe Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89134. Dad met with the Rabbi while he was in hospice and shared information with him and gave some insight in to who he was and what he wanted shared at a memorial. Our family was there with him for the meeting, so the service should be lovely.
The Los Angeles Memorial is Friday, June 22, 2012 at 11:00am at the CMC (California Market Center), 110 E. 9th St. Lobbylevel Theater, Los Angeles, Ca 90079. Dad’s life was lived for the most part in LA and the Mart was his home base for more than 40 years. We are looking forward to seeing our family as well as friends and colleagues from all aspects of his life at this service.
Our family is asking that in lieu of flowers contributionsbe made to : Cedars Sinai Medical Center (CSMC)Fashion Industries Guild in memory of Hal Kaltman at www.fashionindustriesguild.orgl . Donation envelopes will be available at the memorial in Los Angeles.
We have several people scheduled to speak in honor of Hal, but there will be time at the end of each memorial for a few words.
We cannot thank you all enough for your care for our father, brother, uncle, grandfather, cousin, friend… our Hal.
My name is Warren Winthrop and I’ve known Hal close to 40 years. We worked together at Merry Mary Fabrics for many years. We were very close business wise and socially. Hal was the most kindest and warmest person you would ever want to meet. He had a great sense of humor. We spent a lot of time together, laughing and enjoying what we did. Hal and I would sit and discuss things about our personal lives which were very similar. We always enjoyed each other’s company. There were so many stories and incidents that occurred in those days that I still laugh when I share them with friends. I remember introducing Hal to my wife. After we divorced Hal told me he never liked her. That made two of us. . . Boy was he right! I will miss Hal deeply. One word to describe Hal. He was a “mench.”
I have known Hal for over half my life… I met him as I was starting out as a VERY young and inexperienced Asst Merchandiser at Patty Woodard back in the mid-1980′s. You always knew when Hal was in the building…. his “larger than life” personality arrived about 5 minutes before he actually entered the room. He was a force of nature. That booming voice, “Hey, Jeannie!”… and it was always Jean-nie… despite my best efforts to portray a more “professional” image by pronouncing it “Jean”… To Hal, I was always Jean-nie. And he was always Hal. As other’s have said, he was a staple through all of the moments of my life…both high and low… my wedding, the births of my children, my divorce and one story that not too many people know…. I was pregnant with my first child and all was going well, until he was born in July of 1989 with a congenital heart defect – hypoplastic left heart syndrome – which, at the time was nearly always fatal. We had little options at the time and my heart was very heavy when I returned Hal’s congratulatory call after he had heard that I had given birth. When I told him the diagnosis and the very sad and shocking prognosis, without missing a beat, Hal offered to contact the City of Hope and have a staff of doctors examine and evaluate my newborn son. How quickly could I get him there? And I knew that wasn’t lipservice…Hal would’ve moved heaven and earth to make that happen had we so chosen. Needless to say, he attended CJ’s funeral 10 days later and was bereft. Even though both of us changed employers multiple times throughout the years… after all… this is the apparel industry (LOL!)… we always stayed in touch… including my last contact with him last Christmas-time when he called to thank me for my Holiday Newsletter… and, of course, brag about his girls and his grandchildren…. the light of his life. Rest in Peace, Dear Friend… I will never forget you… you never forgot me.
First Amy I want to thank you and your husband for being so diligent in your daily updates. It was really comforting to be able to get status reports and know what was going on.
I have wanted to send a comment since Hal’s passing and this is the first time I’ve actually sat down to do it.
When you asked for one word to describe Hal, the word that came to mind was teddy bear. I believe others have said the same thing. Hal was a teddy bear to me, because he could seem tough on the outside but he was soft and cuddly and if you were a friend there was nothing he wouldn’t do for you if it was within his means to do.
He was a true friend and I miss him dearly.
What has become our annual trip to Las Vegas in August won’t be the same without the visit with Hal.
He will be in my heart forever!