Irving Kaplan

Remember. That one word holds so much meaning. Remember.

All of us here have many different remembrances of my father, Irving Kaplan. And, in truth, all of us know a different Irving Kaplan; the friend, the brother, the devoted congregant, the Marine, the father, the husband. We have so many different stories and so much love in our heart for this man who always considered himself a regular hard working guy who got lucky-married the love of his life, traveled, stayed close to his family, his G_d and his country. Luck had nothing to do with the person my father was. My father was a leader and a true mensch. My father built his life brick by brick, ever the Mason. He nurtured, repaired, tore down, and rebuilt his life many times. This took courage, stamina, and what we in our tribe call chutzpah.

My father was a person who could never say no-except when I was a newly licensed teenage driver and asked to borrow the car, a 1975 pale yellow Volkswagen Squareback I lovingly nicknamed Bananas after my dad had taken me to see the Woody Allen film of the same name-we two sat at that matinee, one of the few in the theatre, and my dad laughed-if you have ever seen my dad laugh, it is a sight to behold-shoulders moving up and down, teeth from ear to ear, eyes squinched up, tears rolling down his cheeks. My dad, Irving Kaplan, his name conjures up so many remembrances for all of us, doesn’t it? In his last few months my dad’s memory faded; he had a hard time remembering, and more than anything physical that pained him, I think this hurt him the most. I think that this is what we have, and what he gave us, and what we can give-remembrances of my father.

May 26, 2016-Mona Mensing, always your loving daughter

Arrangements under the direction of Sunland Memorial Park, Mortuary & Cremation Center, Sun City, AZ.