Gershon Ettinger was born in Kolymyja, Poland on February 11, 1922, to Sarah and Abraham Ettinger. In 1933, because of growing anti-Semitism in Europe, he, his parents and older brother Haim moved to Tel Aviv in British Mandate Palestine. It was there that he completed his secondary school education.
During World War II, he served with British Imperial Intelligence. Gershon had a talent for languages and spoke many. After the war ended, his superior recommended him for admission to the University of London (England) where Gershon studied law and was a member of Lincoln’s Inn. After he received his LLB, he visited the United States. Deciding to stay, he was hired by the Jewish National Fund and was assigned to the Southwest area. While covering the territory, he made a trip to El Paso. There he met Barbara Goodman. It was, through a strange and wonderful set of circumstance and coincidence, that they found a relationship that was fated to be. They married in February 1950.
In 1953, he founded Regal Supply and Chemical in El Paso. Ettinger Enterprises was founded in 1985. He was a member of ISSA and Chemical Supply Associates, trade organizations.
His community service included being President of El Paso Family Service, Texas Street Association, Zionist Organization of El Paso. He served on the boards of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, the Jewish Federation of El Paso and Temple Mt. Sinai. He was a volunteer Hebrew teacher at Temple Mt. Sinai and a volunteer mentor with the Small Business Association. He served a term on the Texas district law ethics committee. He was a member of Congregation B’nai Zion and Temple Mt. Sinai.
Beside Barbara, his wife of 64 years, he is survived by his daughter Dorlee and husband Tom Henderson, son Hal Ettinger and wife Linda; grandsons Nathan and Joel Henderson, Abraham and Ben Ettinger. He is also survived by his nephew Yoram Ettinger (son of his late brother Haim and late sister-in-law Cesia Ettinger) and wife Ora, their children and grandchildren, by his brother-in-law Haskell Goodman and wife Marcia, their children and grandchildren, and the children and grandchildren and great grandson of his late sister-in-law Dorothy G. Marshall.
A graveside service will be held on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at 2:30 PM at B’Nai Zion Cemetery: 3915 Gateway West El Paso, Texas 79903. Services entrusted to Martin Funeral Home West. www.MartinFuneralHomeWest.com
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