Herman Gitlin

Herman Gitlin, 94, a resident of Somerset, passed away January 10, 2012. He was the husband of the late Rae (Calloway) Gitlin to whom he was married for 56 years. Born in Fall River, MA, he was a son of the late Louis and Rivka (Lagofsky) Gitlin.

Mr. Gitlin was a graduate of BMC Durfee High School in Fall River, class of 1936. A pioneer in the scrap iron and metal industry, he founded Gitlin Brothers in 1936, a waste paper, rag, and metal recycling firm in Fall River, MA. With $50 borrowed from his mother, he rented, with his brother William, a horse barn across the street from where they grew up in the Flint section of Fall River. He started a second business, Mid City Scrap in Westport, MA in 1951 with his brothers Edward and Milton. As a testament to Herman, Mid City stands today as one of the largest independently owned scrap processing companies in Eastern New England, and its sister company, Mid City Steel, services steel customers throughout New England.

Herman served as President of the New England Chapter of the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel. He was a member of Temple Beth El and Temple Adas Israel of Fall River, a member of the board of United Jewish Appeal of Fall River, and was a 67 year Master Mason of the Mount Hope Lodge of the AF & AM. Herman also was a fifty year member of Kiwanis, and a life member of Hadassah’s Men’s Associate Division. He also served as President of Mid City Scrap until 2006, and then as the Chairman of the Board until his death. He was honored to have worked with his son Louis and nephew Mark for over 30 years.

He is survived by his children, Phyllis B. Gitlin Kingsley and her husband Sanford Kingsley of Irvine, CA, and Louis D. Gitlin and his wife Nora J. Howard-Gitlin, and their children Zachary H. and Ariel R. Gitlin, of Providence, RI. He was the brother of the late Barney, William, Milton, and Edward Gitlin, Anne White, and Ida Rubin. He cherished his wife, brothers and sisters, and loved spending countless hours visiting and spending time with all of them.

His funeral service will be held Friday at 10 am at Temple Beth El, 385 High St., Fall River, MA followed by burial in Temple Beth El Cemetery, Fall River, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the American Diabetes Association, 146 Clifford St., Providence, RI 02903. Shiva will be observed at the home of Louis and Nora Gitlin, 65 Emeline St., Providence Saturday 7-9 pm and Sunday 2-4 & 7-9 PM.