The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • B8

B8 TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016 The Boston Globe Obituaries Ben Strohecker, 88, Harbor Sweets founder, AIDS activist WOLFF. Phyllis (Raftell) Passed away on May 14, 2016. Born Sept. 4, 1926 to Greek immigrant parents, Costas and Christina Raftell. She was raised in Charlestown.

The family moved to Medford in 1948 after the family business was sold. Phyllis was educated at St. Catherine's in Charles-town, Girl's High in Boston, and Mt. Ida in Newton. After graduation, she became a medical secretary for Dr.

Louis Wolff of Brookhne, they were eventually married and raised two children, Sarah and Dr. Charles Wolff. She loved music, the arts and the ballet which she attended often. She had a true zest for life and lived it to the fullest. She leaves behind Sarah Wolff of Medford, Dr.

Charles Wolff and his wife Karen of Foxboro, three grandchildren Dylan, Arianna, and Alexander, one brother Charles Raftell of Marblehead and two nieces of Marblehead and Peabody. Visiting hours will be held in the P.E. Murray F.J. Hig-gins, George F. Doherty Sons Funeral Home 2000 Centre St.

WEST ROXBURY on Wednesday May 18th from 6-8pm. Relatives and friends kindly invited. A private funeral service will be held in the funeral home on Thursday May 19th. Interment Moses "Mendelson Cemetery, West Roxbury. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Phyllis' memory to Hallmark Health Hospice, 178 Savin St.

Suite 300, Maiden, MA 02148. For directions and guestbook pemurrayfuneral.com. P.E. Murray FJ. Higgins George F.

Doherty Sons west Roxbury 617 325 2000 I world," he told the Globe in 1983. He donated his first candy attempts to a fair at his Episcopal church. "It was bread cast upon the water. I was surprised people actually paid for it," he told the Globe in 1980, adding that "there's no question what happened at Harbor Sweets could not have happened without God's help. I could have been the greatest marketing genius ever and not done this.

God has given us a lot of help to make it happen." He gave back by donating a percentage of his profits to charity. When the AIDS crisis emerged, he took a year sabbatical from work to raise money and awareness beginning with his own. "I grew up as a farm boy," he told The Penn Stater. "I never knew anyone who was gay. I was raised homophobic and racist and sexist." "The single word that comes to mind right away when I think of Ben is Here's a person who has a great entrepreneurial spirit and he's not only used that in his private life with his own business, but also as an AIDS activist," Larry Kes-sler, founding director of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, told the Globe in 2003.

"He would go to Rotary clubs and to Washington, and talk to everyone from small businesspeople who owned hamburger stores to Levi Strauss and everything in between and say, 'You can do more, you need to do more, not only for your employees but for the community and the Mr. Strohecker, whose first marriage ended in divorce, married Martha Dunn 30 years ago. In addition to his wife, of Peabody, and his daughter, Sara, he leaves two sons, Benn-eville Jr. of Arizona, and Samuel of Cranberry Township, his sister, Tanie Strohecker White of Hudson, Ohio; and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m.

July 1 at St. John's Episcopal Church in Beverly Farms. As Mr. Strohecker stepped back from running Harbor Sweets, ceding leadership to LeBlanc, he began painting, exhibiting his work, and creating children's books such as "The Day the Ocean Changed to Chocolate." He also founded a group of retirees to pool their talents to help communities. That effort brought a positive aging role model award from North Shore Elder Services in 2014.

"I don't have much more time left to change the world," he had told The Penn Stater in 1997 as he began easing out of his company's operations. "I have to hurry." By Bryan Marquard GLOBE STAFF If Ben Strohecker had only invented Sweet Sloops he would always be remembered by anyone who tasted candies produced by his business, Harbor Sweets of Salem. His signature delicacy a triangle of almond butter-crunch toffee, coated in white chocolate, and then dipped in dark chocolate and crushed pecans came about by accident. While trying out candy recipes in his Marblehead home in the 1970s, he ran short of dark chocolate and slipped a butter-crunch triangle into melted white chocolate instead. "My son said, 'Looks like a sailboat, And my wife said, 'A sweet Mr.

Strohecker told The New York Times in 1988. That nautically named treat was but one part of his voyage, however. Inspired by his faith, driven by compassion, and grounded in his own human frailties, he became a leading fund-raiser for AIDS causes and a persistent voice for awareness. And he did so nearly 30 years ago when many people like him straight, white, middle-aged businessmen only spoke about AIDS while making homophobic jokes. Mr.

Strohecker, who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for AIDS organizations and other nonprofits, died April 19 in the Hathorne Hill rehabilitation and care center in Danvers. He was 88 and had a stroke about two years ago. "He was an extraordinary individual. He was a brilliant marketer. I think he was way ahead of his time in so many areas, marketing being one of them," said Phyllis LeBlanc, president and CEO of Harbor Sweets, who began working for Mr.

Strohecker as a part-time candy-dipper when she was in her late teens. "He was firm in his principles of keeping everything unique and interesting and challenging," she said, and that extended to the shape of the candy. He chose triangles because he thought rectangles were too ordinary. "If there was anything Ben did not want to do it was what everyone else did," LeBlanc added, laughing. It's not much of a stretch to say that when he launched his company in the 1970s, Mr.

Strohecker imposed a triangle approach of sorts on the business world's boxed-in conformity- "He was way ahead of his time in terms of how he treated his employees," LeBlanc said. "We had flexible work hours." His personnel policies predated legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, too. "We have hired people who have been disabled without really knowing how they were going to be productive," Mr. Stro- Mr. Strohecker welcomed a diverse workforce to his company, "He came from an artistic mom, so he had that gene that seemed to show itself in everything he did.

He was extremely creative and always allowed himself to tap into that creativity" Mr. Strohecker joined the Army at the end of World War II and served in Germany and France, repatriating prisoners of war. Returning home, he graduated from Penn State University in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in arts and sciences. Working initially for Bach-man snack foods in Reading, Mr. Strohecker suggested selling pretzels in tin containers with a Pennsylvania Dutch theme "long before it became popular," he told the Globe in 1977.

It was a hit. He became national sales manager before going to Johnson Johnson pharmaceuticals in Chicago. "With some reluctance," he told the Globe, "I became the YOWAKIM, Nicolas Of Medford, May 14, 2016. Beloved husband of the late Hayat "Janine" Toutounghi. Loving father of Marilene Sawaf and husband Fred Riester of Hollis, NH, Alfred Yoakim and wife Pascale of Switzerland, and Monique Yoakim-Turk and husband Gilbert of Medford.

Devoted grandfather of Elizabeth Clark, Eric Sawaf, Nicolas and William Yoakim, and William and Pauline Turk. Great grandmother of Madeline and William Clark. Brother of Michel Yowakim of Australia and the late Marguerite Cheboub and Liliane Tawa. Funeral from the Keefe Funeral Home, 5 Chestnut (Rt. 60, adjacent to St.

Agnes Church) ARLINGTON on Friday at 9 am. Funeral Mass will be held at Saint Agnes' Church at 10 am. Relatives and friends invited. Visiting hours Thursday 4-8 pm. Burial in Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Saint Peter's School Education Fund, 96 Concord Cambridge, MA 02138. For directions or to send a condolence visit www.keefefuneralhome.com ZEVITAS, George Theodore Of Marstons Mills passed away peacefully at Cape Cod IHfeSg Hospital May 14, 2016 at iES5a the age of 77. George p5 was born in 1938 in Wa-tertown, Massachusetts to Mary and Theodore Zevitas. After graduating from Water-town High School and Boston University, he served time in the Navy before earning his law degree from Boston University Law School. In 1 980, he moved with his late wife Georgia to Barnstable County, where he lived and practiced law up until his passing.

He was a respected Attorney, a lifelong Republican and delegate to the 2006 convention, a former President of the Greek Orthodox Church in both Hy-annis and Watertown, an assigned member of the Barnstable Zoning Board of Appeals, a regular volunteer for Meals on Wheels as well as a Lawyer of the Day at the Barnstable Court House, and a member at both Cummaquid and Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds Golf Courses. George is survived by his beloved wife Linda, his stepchildren Alex and Katie, his two sons Alex and Ted, his daughter Christa, his two granddaughters Georgia and Petra, his older brother John and his sister-in-law Dini. Big in both stature and personality, "Big" George loved studying history, talking politics, smoking good cigars, betting on long shots at the race track, helping a wide range of clients, and spending time with his family. Visiting hours will be from 4 to 8pm on Thursday, May 19th at the Chapman Cole and Glea-son Funeral Home, 74 Algonquin MASHPEE. A Funeral will be held at 10am on Friday at St.

George's Greek Orthodox Church, Falmouth Road, Centerville. Burial will follow in Mosswood Cemetery in Cotuit. For online guestbook and directions, please visit www.ccgfuneralhome.com Chapman Cole Gleason Mashpee 508-477-4025 ZINITI, Joseph A. Age 77, of Easton, formerly of Roslindale, peacefully passed into eternal life on Saturday, May 14, 2016 surrounded by his family. Born in Boston, September 28, 1938, he was the beloved son of the late Leo J.

Ziniti and Carmen J. (Baglione) Ziniti. Joseph is survived by his devoted wife of 54 years, Gail (Schle-huber) Ziniti. He was the proud and loving father of Lisa O'Donoghue, and her husband John of Sci-tuate, Lori Grant, and her husband Shawn of Easton, Joseph Ziniti, and his wife Melissa of Rochester, Ml and Kristine Martini, and her husband Blake of Cohasset. "Papa" was the adoring and joyful grandfather of John and Michael O'Donoghue, Ryan and Pamela Grant, Joseph, Allison and Nicholas Ziniti and Alexandra and Blake Martini.

Also survived by a brother, Richard E. Ziniti, and his wife Jane of Palm Bay, FL, two nieces, and predeceased by brother Leo J. Ziniti, Jr. He will always be remembered as the heart and soul of his family and for the many ways he created love, laughter and tradition. He will be forever loved and missed.

Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend the funeral from Kane Funeral Home Cremation Services, 605 Washington Street (Rte.138), EASTON, on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass in the Holy Cross Church, 225 Purchase Street, Easton, at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow in Furnace Village Cemetery, Easton. Visiting hours on Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. For directions or condolences visit www.

kanefuneralhome.com Julius La Rosa, 86, singer who found success after on-air firing JANET KNOTTGLOBE STAFFFILE Harbor Sweets of Salem. first Strohecker in three generations to leave Reading." From Johnson Johnson he went to Keebler, where he became the cookie company's director of marketing development and long-range planning. Then he moved to Marblehead and directed marketing for Schrafft's candy in Charles-town. "I learned at those companies that the stockholders always come first and the customers always come second," he told The Penn Stater. "I couldn't work with that philosophy." In the 1970s, he started Harbor Sweets, setting up shop in a Salem warehouse.

He informally polled candy business colleagues and found that nearly everyone's favorite treat was almond butterscotch dipped in chocolate, so he borrowed parts of various recipes to come up with Sweet Sloops. "I started out to make the best piece of candy in the recorded "Eh, Cumpari," the biggest hit of his career, and "Domani." He went on a national tour, appearing with Perry Como, Patti Page, Nat King Cole, and Sarah Vaughan. By 1955, "The Julius La Rosa Show" was on summer television three times a week. He also appeared in scores of other television shows, including those of Dinah Shore, Steve Allen, Peggy Lee, Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Polly Bergen, Como, and Pat Boone. In 1957 he made a film, "Let's Rock." In 1958 he married Rosemary Meyer, who was Como's secretary.

Besides his wife, he leaves a daughter, Maria Smith; a son, Chris; a sister, Sadie; and one grandson. Over the ensuing decades, as tastes in television and music changed, Mr. La Rosa was seen in mostly regional musicals and stage productions, including "Kiss Me Kate," "Carousel," "South Pacific," "Stalag 17," and "The Realist," often receiving excellent reviews. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for his supporting role on the NBC soap opera "Another World," worked as a disc jockey for WNEW in New York and later hecker told the Times in 1988. "And there's always been some miracle that's happened so they've found ways to contribute.

We count on that." Harbor Sweets hired mothers, the elderly, and those who didn't speak English. They stood next to workers from the yacht club set who needed a few extra dollars and four-hour shifts that fit with the rest of their schedules. "Our only rule is this: If you're not having fun, you're fired," Mr. Strohecker told The Penn Stater, the magazine of his college alma mater, in 1997. Born in Reading, Benn-eville Strohecker was the son of Herman Strohecker, an entomologist with the state agriculture department, and the former Virginia Whitman, an artist.

"When I think of my dad, I think of a renaissance man," said Mr. Strohecker's daughter, Sara Clarkson of Westfield, N.J. explored his life. Fans swooned. His mailbag brought 7,000 letters a day (more than Godfrey's), and his salary grew to $900 a week.

But it all came at a price. Godfrey a folksy, sentimental ukulele strummer to his audiences but an imperious, tyrannical boss behind the sets ordered all his entertainers to take dancing lessons. Mr. La Rosa refused. He also insisted that his performers not work for outside interests and not be represented by personal agents.

Feeling exploited, Mr. La Rosa did both. He signed with Cadence Records, a label owned by Godfrey's musical director, Archie Bleyer, and made several recordings, including his first hit, "Anywhere I Wander." He also hired an agent to renegotiate his CBS contract and manage his outside interests. On Oct. 19, 1953 23 months after Mr.

La Rosa's debut Godfrey retaliated in a morning segment heard only on the radio. Mr. La Rosa had just finished singing "Manhattan" when Godfrey delivered the sentence in his solemn foghorn voice. "That was Julie's swan song," he said. He later fired Bleyer, too, Bryan Marquard can be reached at bryan.

marquardglobe. com. for WNSW in Newark, and for many years was a headliner on nightclub and cabaret circuits in New York, Las Vegas, and other cities. His songbook often included "Old Man River," "Lover Come Back to Me," and "The Last Time I Saw Paris." Julius La Rosa was born in Brooklyn. His singing talent emerged early, and he performed in an all-city chorus while attending high school in Queens.

After graduating in 1947, he joined the Navy and became a radioman. In 1950, his Navy buddies managed to promote him to Godfrey, himself a Naval Reserve officer, who gave the young singer an audition in Pensacola, where Mr. La Rosa was stationed. Impressed with his rendition of "Don't Take Your Love From Me," Godfrey had him flown to New York to appear on his television show, and on the air promised him a job when he was discharged. Only days after his discharge in 1951, Mr.

La Rosa began performing before coast-to-coast radio and television audiences. After his dismissal, Mr. La Rosa publicly forgave Godfrey, but said that he "wasn't a very nice man." By Robert D. McFadden NEW YORK TIMES NEW YORK Julius La Rosa, the celebrated 1950s singer who reinvented himself as a television, stage, and nightclub performer after his young career was thrown into turmoil by a bizarre and humiliating on-the-air firing by Arthur Godfrey before a national audience, died on Thursday at his home in Crivitz, Wis. He was 86.

His death was confirmed by his wife, Rosemary. Like many fresh talents discovered by the powerful Godfrey, Mr. La Rosa had been plucked from obscurity, taken into the "Little Godfrey" family, paid a salary beyond his wildest dreams, and exposed to colossal television and radio audiences. For a Brooklyn kid just out of the Navy, it was a dream come true. With his chunky-cheeked, boyish grin and dark, curly hair swept back from a widow's peak, he crooned pop favorites for 35 million people from 1951 to 1953 on CBS' "Arthur Godfrey Time," a weekday morning television and radio show, and for "Arthur Godfrey and His Friends," a Wednesday night variety program.

The news media ASSOCIATED PRESSFILE 1953 Mr. La Rosa was signed by Ed Sullivan after he was fired by Arthur Godfrey. and told reporters that Mr. La Rosa had been banished because he lacked "humility." The dismissal stunned Mr. La Rosa and the Godfrey audiences, whose reaction was largely negative.

Most media critics chastised Godfrey, whose avuncular image began to crumble. Far from being a death knell for Mr. La Rosa's career, however, it opened new doors. Ed Sullivan signed him, at triple his old salary, for a dozen appearances on his national television variety show, "Toast of the Town." Soon, Mr. La Rosa.