We have so many people who have been an important part of our temple. I would like to thank them and their families by writing about some of them each month.
The Cohen and Miles families are well-known names in our Temple. In 1946, we were fortunate to have Hy and Dora Miles move to Terre Haute from Atlanta, Ga.
Hy and Dora established the Kor-A-All Company in 1948. They were very active in so many ways. Wherever they were needed, they were there. Their son Stanley R. Miles became the second child of our congregation to be ordained as a rabbi at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati.
Stanley completed his Bar Mitzvah in 1961 at Temple B’nai Abraham in Terre Haute and was confirmed in 1965 at Temple Israel. Rabbi Miles married Sheilah Abramson, who is president of Women of Reform Judaism Central District. Stanley retired in 2016 after 39 years as rabbi at Temple Shalom in Louisville, Ky.
Sunny Mendel came to Terre Haute in October 1948 to visit her Aunt Dora and Uncle Hy. She met Nelson Cohen and we all know how that turned out. They married June 26, 1949, and enjoyed 58 wonderful years together. Nelson passed away Feb. 26, 2007.
We are proud to say Nelson was a World War II veteran and his uniform can be seen at the Vigo County Historical Society Museum in Terre Haute.
Nelson served the Temple in many ways. He was president from 1970-72 and also served as treasurer and as a board member for many years.
Sunny and Nelson had two children, Martin and Gail. Sunny worked at Clothes Closet, which clothed many children of the Wabash Valley. She was also responsible for the New Year Greeting Book for many, many years. She now lives in Carmel, Ind., near Gail and her children, but returns to the Temple on occasion for special events.
You would find Sunny in the kitchen or anywhere she was needed and always with a “Sunny” smile. Her smile matched her name.
Patty Lewis is president of UHC Terre Haute Sisterhood.