Marvin Bargar - May his memory be a blessing

In honor of Marvin Bargar, the longtime archivist at the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven.  This picture was taken by myself, featured on this blog 10 years ago.  Marvin was 85 at that time and running the archives with enthusiasm.  And my cousin Mary Ann, my boots-on-the-ground, we always liked to go to the Ethnic Heritage Center where 5 ethnic historical societies shared a space.  Dennis would say that it was the most enjoyable part of the trip.

See, the white folks, they have a large historical society, known colloquially as "The Colony" and they have a big mansion on one of the most fashionable streets.  But the Jews, the Irish, the Italians, the African Americans and the Ukainians all banded together to make their own place.  A great thing actually.  In a corrogated windowless building with huge industrial doors.  

But that was our place, that's why Dennis liked it so much.

I heard that Marvin Bargar passed away last week.  He was the archivist until he was 95.  He was so good to me and Mary Ann.  Always helped us, gave me permissions, always engaged and helpful.  One time, we were looking for information about my aunt's first husband.  Marvin got a gleam in his eye and went up this huge ladder "OMG, Marvin don't, you are going to KILL yourself."  He brought down this scrapbook that somebody had made about all the WW II  Jewish soldiers.  Sure enough, there was a page for him.  Mary Ann and I shrieked!  The Ukrainian lady from the next one over came over and said "What's going on over here, you are having too much fun!"

But no windows and all that glare, it made taking pictures really hard.  You can see "The Picture" in the background.  Of Maier Zunder, Mary Ann and my great great grandfather.  Taken out for special occasions only.  I tried to take a picture, hopeless.  So we asked my cousin Mal to come and take a picture.  He said, there's no way we can take the picture with all the glare and reflections, we have to take it outside in natural light.  Oh, the fuss about that!

We always knew that Marvin would help us.  I appreciated him so much.  May his memory be a blessing.