Dear classmates. A remembrance of Howard Silverman,
Howard and I grew up in house built across an alley between those on 16thSt and those on Smedley. Don Matzkin lived across Smedley St from Howard. We don’t remember meeting as we were just there. Every morning Howard and Don would walk past my back door and I would join them on our way to Central.
Before that we, along with one other fellow would follow the seasons for the games we played. Remember stoop ball? Sixteenth was wide enough and so rarely driven on that we could play football on three yards for 5 field painted off on the streets. The high point in my non- athletic life was when I faked in, ran out and got behind Don for Howard to throw a touchdown pass. Pretty low on the accomplishment scale. Still a high point for me. How did I do that?
Howard, Don and a few others from that square of a block were getting together a few times a year. Of course Howard would inevitably gross us out with whatever he remembered and said. This isn’t Mr. Rodgers we’re remembering!!!
And then his body began to fail though never his mind. I’d visit him in a decrepitude apartment over a bar in Manayunk and deliver a Hoagie haven hoagie from Princeton. Finally, his family was able to get him into a Jewish Family Service apartment in Wynnfield. "I'm not going to the north east," he told me. The last time I saw him was when Herb Weinstein and I took him out to a deli for lunch. Always learned a lot from Howard about a world I’ve never seen or experienced, nor would I want to. But that’s the glory of childhood friendships, isn’t it?
I found from his daughter about his move to a rehab center a few days before he took a downturn. [Check out Ants' Pants on South St and intoduce yourself to Nancy.] I had been calling once a month to commiserate on what it’s like to be held together by “chewing gum ad rubber bands.” Howard was never afraid. “That’s what it is” he would say. My reaction was muted on hearing from Herb that he was failing and even after its been as if I was an outside observer rather than a participant. Odd isn’t it. I’m feeling something but can’t quite put my finger on what it is.
Hope all of you are well. I was able to get the two doses of moderna though my Hospital appointment and my wife just had her first. We can expect to all be immunized by summer and I do want to see you all.
There was something both fearless, uncalculated and vulnerable about the flow of Monk's emotions. It's what I felt when we were students, and when we chatted at a reunion a few decades later. I wasn't sure his name was Howard C. Silverman until I got to the photo, but maybe I knew because I was very sad as if hoping it wasn't him. A very special guy. So long, Monk. Yes, as you once asked me--at that renunion--we were friends.
I knew him as Monk and I knew him as Howard, but with either name he was my friend. We became friendly in our senior year at Central and the relationship grew closer when we both attended Temple. Unfortunately, in our later years we drifted apart ,but I always thought of Monk as my friend and I will miss him.
There are many stories I could tell about Monk and I ,but two of them come to mind. When we were 19 we went to Cape Cod for a short vacation. We drove up in Howard's Impala,you know, the one with rthe big fins. Before we left Howard's father gave him a $20.00 bill and told him to use it in case of an emergency. Well being the financial geniuses we were we spent every sent we had and were coming home with 16 cents in our combined possession. As we approached Trenton N.J. on our way home ,we realized that we were going to go over a toll bridge. Both of us had visions of being trapped in N.J. since our funds were so limited. The bridge toll was 15 cents and we happily passed over it with one penny to our names. Great planning, huh?
Another incident happened in NYC. We had gone there to relive the class trip. Anyway we travelled to NYC for a long weekend. While walking around Manhattan we decided to do a little shopping in Brooks Bros. Brooks Bros. had 2 stores at that time. One was in San Francico and the other one in NYC. So, it was an adventure to go into such a famous store and look at the merchandise with incredibly high prices. Prices that neither Monk nor I could afford. Anyway, as we walked around the store we came to a counter with men's socks for sale. Howard asked the salesman to show him a few pairs. The least expensive pair was $10 Needless to say we thought the prices were unreal. So after being shown the socks,the saleman asked which ones we liked. After hearing the sales price, Howard replied that if he bought the socks with those prices he wouldn't wear shoes The security people weren't real happy as they ushered us out of the store.
As I said, I really only have happy memories of Monk. My sincerest condolences to his family. He will always be considered a friend . RIP Howard/Monk
Howard "monk" Silverman was a dear friend for 60 years. We bonded at our senior class trip to new york where Herb Weinstein Howard and myself spent 3 drunk days ahaving the time of our lives.
we always told old stories at our reunions and had many good laughs.I will miss him terribly.
Initially, I read Bob Karp's tribute as he referred to Howard with no last name. Based upon the details, I knew this person but could place him. Paul's subsequent notice clarified it. I remember him primarily as Monk. At CHS, he once said we would have to call him Howard based reluctantly upon his mother;s direction. I lived essentially in Chicagoland for 35 years, but ran into Monk in the late 90s. What are doing Monk? Well... he said, in California they would call transitioning. I saw at our 50th and then sat with him at Temple's 50th in 2012, although I doubt he graduated. His humor and warmth will be missed.
Gary Reiser
Howard (Monk) sad to learn; a truly unique, friendly guy.
Robert J. Karp (Robert Karp)
Dear classmates. A remembrance of Howard Silverman,
Howard and I grew up in house built across an alley between those on 16th St and those on Smedley. Don Matzkin lived across Smedley St from Howard. We don’t remember meeting as we were just there. Every morning Howard and Don would walk past my back door and I would join them on our way to Central.
Before that we, along with one other fellow would follow the seasons for the games we played. Remember stoop ball? Sixteenth was wide enough and so rarely driven on that we could play football on three yards for 5 field painted off on the streets. The high point in my non- athletic life was when I faked in, ran out and got behind Don for Howard to throw a touchdown pass. Pretty low on the accomplishment scale. Still a high point for me. How did I do that?
Howard, Don and a few others from that square of a block were getting together a few times a year. Of course Howard would inevitably gross us out with whatever he remembered and said. This isn’t Mr. Rodgers we’re remembering!!!
And then his body began to fail though never his mind. I’d visit him in a decrepitude apartment over a bar in Manayunk and deliver a Hoagie haven hoagie from Princeton. Finally, his family was able to get him into a Jewish Family Service apartment in Wynnfield. "I'm not going to the north east," he told me. The last time I saw him was when Herb Weinstein and I took him out to a deli for lunch. Always learned a lot from Howard about a world I’ve never seen or experienced, nor would I want to. But that’s the glory of childhood friendships, isn’t it?
I found from his daughter about his move to a rehab center a few days before he took a downturn. [Check out Ants' Pants on South St and intoduce yourself to Nancy.] I had been calling once a month to commiserate on what it’s like to be held together by “chewing gum ad rubber bands.” Howard was never afraid. “That’s what it is” he would say. My reaction was muted on hearing from Herb that he was failing and even after its been as if I was an outside observer rather than a participant. Odd isn’t it. I’m feeling something but can’t quite put my finger on what it is.
Hope all of you are well. I was able to get the two doses of moderna though my Hospital appointment and my wife just had her first. We can expect to all be immunized by summer and I do want to see you all.
bob
Kenneth Tyson
There was something both fearless, uncalculated and vulnerable about the flow of Monk's emotions. It's what I felt when we were students, and when we chatted at a reunion a few decades later. I wasn't sure his name was Howard C. Silverman until I got to the photo, but maybe I knew because I was very sad as if hoping it wasn't him. A very special guy. So long, Monk. Yes, as you once asked me--at that renunion--we were friends.Ronald Fogel
I knew him as Monk and I knew him as Howard, but with either name he was my friend. We became friendly in our senior year at Central and the relationship grew closer when we both attended Temple. Unfortunately, in our later years we drifted apart ,but I always thought of Monk as my friend and I will miss him.
There are many stories I could tell about Monk and I ,but two of them come to mind. When we were 19 we went to Cape Cod for a short vacation. We drove up in Howard's Impala,you know, the one with rthe big fins. Before we left Howard's father gave him a $20.00 bill and told him to use it in case of an emergency. Well being the financial geniuses we were we spent every sent we had and were coming home with 16 cents in our combined possession. As we approached Trenton N.J. on our way home ,we realized that we were going to go over a toll bridge. Both of us had visions of being trapped in N.J. since our funds were so limited. The bridge toll was 15 cents and we happily passed over it with one penny to our names. Great planning, huh?
Another incident happened in NYC. We had gone there to relive the class trip. Anyway we travelled to NYC for a long weekend. While walking around Manhattan we decided to do a little shopping in Brooks Bros. Brooks Bros. had 2 stores at that time. One was in San Francico and the other one in NYC. So, it was an adventure to go into such a famous store and look at the merchandise with incredibly high prices. Prices that neither Monk nor I could afford. Anyway, as we walked around the store we came to a counter with men's socks for sale. Howard asked the salesman to show him a few pairs. The least expensive pair was $10 Needless to say we thought the prices were unreal. So after being shown the socks,the saleman asked which ones we liked. After hearing the sales price, Howard replied that if he bought the socks with those prices he wouldn't wear shoes The security people weren't real happy as they ushered us out of the store.
As I said, I really only have happy memories of Monk. My sincerest condolences to his family. He will always be considered a friend . RIP Howard/Monk
Ron Fogel
Marvin Katzer
Howard "monk" Silverman was a dear friend for 60 years. We bonded at our senior class trip to new york where Herb Weinstein Howard and myself spent 3 drunk days ahaving the time of our lives.
we always told old stories at our reunions and had many good laughs.I will miss him terribly.
Marvin katzer
Michael Rutberg
Howard had a unique and wonderful personality. We will all miss him.
Edward R. Carlin
Monk will be missed by all that knew him.
Nathaniel Goodman
Initially, I read Bob Karp's tribute as he referred to Howard with no last name. Based upon the details, I knew this person but could place him. Paul's subsequent notice clarified it. I remember him primarily as Monk. At CHS, he once said we would have to call him Howard based reluctantly upon his mother;s direction. I lived essentially in Chicagoland for 35 years, but ran into Monk in the late 90s. What are doing Monk? Well... he said, in California they would call transitioning. I saw at our 50th and then sat with him at Temple's 50th in 2012, although I doubt he graduated. His humor and warmth will be missed.