Phineas Alpers

ALPERS, Phineas Award-winning architect Phineas Alpers passed away gently in his sleep on April 7, three weeks after his 94th birthday, at his home on Longboat Key in Florida. His wife of 64 years, Carol, and his three children, Robin Lichtman of Miami, FL, Jane Alpers of Cambridge, MA, and Dr. James Alpers of Dover, MA, were with him. He leaves behind his four grandsons, Max, Danny, Michael and Dininar, as well as his sister, Harriet Strogoff of Worcester, MA, his daughter-in-law, Dr. Carol Jannetta of Dover, MA, his brother-in-law, Daniel Tannenbaum of Cherry Hill, NJ, and many caring nephews and nieces. The second youngest of seven children born to Sarah Sushelsky Alpers and Isadore Alpers, Phineas thrived on academics and baseball as a youth in Salem, MA. After serving in World War II with the Army's radio corps in India, he attended UCLA and the University of Michigan, where he met Carol Tannenbaum. The red coat he first saw her in that day in 1952 stayed in his memory forever. Phineas and Carol married in 1954, and he dedicated his thesis to her upon earning his masters in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His eponymous Boston-based architectural firm gave New England and beyond many beautifully designed commercial and municipal buildings and residences over its nearly forty years in business. Phineas and Carol shared passions for travel and for golf, frequently combining the two. He loved their long summer weekend days at Chestnut Hill Country Club in Newton, MA, Thorny Lea Golf Course in Brockton, MA, and The Longboat Key Club in Florida, savoring the scotch and the story-telling with friends after a great round. In retirement, he happily contributed his architectural expertise to various community organizations, most recently as a member of the Longboat Key zoning board. Phineas will be remembered most of all for his devotion to his treasured wife, children and grandchildren. A humble man in his own right, he was exceedingly proud of his family and as generous in his support of their ambitions and pursuits as it was possible to be. A memorial service will be held on Friday, April 14, at 3pm at Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, 1668 Beacon Street, Brookline. All are welcome to attend.