William "Willy" "Velvel" Cherr

IMMIGRATION: Circa 1912 per Tante Yetta Cherr's narrative.

RESIDENCES:

Krui, Russia (1894) Willy was one of nine siblings per Tante Yetta's narrative

Brooklyn (1912 with cousin David Weinstein)

206 Delancey Street, Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City (1922)

Haverstraw, New York (1924)

Passaic, New Jersey (1925)

108 Park Place, Passaic, New Jersey (1938)

104 Park Place, Passaic. Passaic County, New Jersey (1942)

Some of Gary Goldberg's childhood memories of Uncle Willy Cherr:

Uncle Willy could design and construct, make and fix anything - he was very creative in his construction projects. Willy used his creative carpentry skills to construct a heavy duty swing set for his children, grandchildren and other family members on his North Haledon, New Jersey property. He used his incredible masonry skills to construct a BBQ at his Mountain View, New Jersey bungalow. Willy also used his masonry skills to construct a 4-5 foot high concrete block wall around the perimeter of the Mountain View bungalow. In addition to his paint and wallpaper business in Passaic, New Jersey, Uncle Willy also owned an eight apartment unit complex in Passaic, New Jersey, which he maintained. He loved the outdoors and loved to fish and go boating in his canoe, which he kept at his Mountain View bungalow. For fishing bait he made and used mamaliga (yellow corn meal) and he made the most delicious and refreshing summer drink using pineapple juice, water and other unknown ingredients.

Uncle Willy's passions were fishing, boating, the outdoors and construction of practical things using his various creative talents.

He was the Bob Vila ("This Old House") of the Letter family when it came to home improvement, home renovation and home repair.

Published in THE JEWISH COMMUNITY NEWS in February 1984

WILLIAM CHERR, 83, of Montclair, New Jersey died January 7,1984. He is survived by a son, Hyman Cherr of Montclair, New Jersey; a daughter, Rose Kwasnik of Rutherford, New Jersey; a brother Meyer Cherr of Argentina; a sister Mary Remer of Rutherford, New Jersey; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.