Barely having turned 10, he and his family were forced to evacuate to Siberia to escape the advancing Nazis. Upon their return to war-ravaged Borisov, he returned to school, eventually being accepted to medical school in Minsk, where he aspired to be a surgeon. Due to discrimination and quotas against Jews, he was forced to choose a different medical focus and became a radiologist. It was during medical school that he met his wife Dora Finkelstein.
They were married March 12, 1954 and as a married couple were allowed to be assigned to the same city for the start of their professional careers. They had two kids: Igor (b.1955) and Elena (b. 1959). Eventually settling back in Borisov, Avsey worked his way up to become head of the radiology department.
After a long career and close to retirement, having managed to navigate the Soviet system without joining the Communist party, and somehow holding steadfast in not accepting bribes and working “outside the system” --times were changing. First his daughter and her family left for America, then his son and his family left for Israel.
And so in 1991, Avsey and Dora packed up at the age of 60. They moved to a totally new country, with a new language and a new way of living, in order to join their family.
Once in America, Avsey learned English during the day and worked at night as a time clerk at the Army Navy Club in Washington D.C. This ex-head-of-radiology took great pride in being able to help with the family finances. He understood the dignity in work itself.
Once in America, he loved having his own car. (A luxury he only had later in his life in the Soviet Union). He enjoyed gardening and growing vegetables. He reveled in visits from family near and far. And as a good American consumer, he very much appreciated the art of buying small tchotchkes that one does not “need”, but would like to have.
His wife Dora passed away in 2017, after being married to Avsey for 63 years.
Avsey passed away March 17, 2022, 8 days after his 91st birthday and 5 days after what would have been his and Dora’s 68th anniversary.
He is survived by his daughter Elena Furman and son-in law Efrem Osborne, his son Igor Furman and daughter-in-law Alla Furman, his three grandchildren Maxim Furman (married to Jenny Furman), Miriam Magnuson (married to Andrew Magnuson), and Olga Furman. He also has a great grandson, the light of his later years, Ben Furman.
If you would like to honor his memory, a tree may be planted in his name in Israel.
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