Welcome to the
FRIEDMAN Family Home Page
(originally FREEDMAN)

My great-great grandfather, Herman, immigrated to the USA in 1865. He was born in Suvak, Suga Sivatka, Suvalk, Lithuania. He changed the spelling of his name to Friedman. his brother Louis kept the spelling Freedman. Herman married Anna Kumkowsky in 1875. Anna immigrated to the USA from Poland in 1871.

Their first born, my great grandma, Dora, was born in Tyler, Texas on March 15, 1879. They moved to Detroit, Michigan, where their other six children were born. Herman had an iron and steel business in Sault St. Marie, Michigan. He owned a home in Detroit. Anna's brother Sam changed his last name to Kimmel. My grandmother always like to say her family was from Sweden. In later years, grandma told me that they immigrated via Sweden.

There was a son who was born and died before their youngest, Ruth, was born (Feb 1902). My great-great-great-grandparents died shortly before Ruth was born.

My great-grandma, Dora, married at the age of 26. She married Joseph Bernstein, age 27, in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan on the 29th of November 1906. They were married by Rabbi R. Farber. Just over 10 months later, their only child, Rona Ruth, was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Dora's sister Fannie died at the age of 36 (1918), leaving one son, Sidney Green.

Rona Ruth married Milton Maximilian "Mack" Esterson on the 22nd of June 1930 in Cleveland, Ohio. My great-grandparents moved with my grandparents to Baltimore, Maryland. My grandfather was from Baltimore and he still had family there. My great-grandparents lived with my grandparents until they died. Daddy was born in May 1931. Daddy was named after my grandmother's maternal grandfather, Herman (Chaim). My grandfather had a house built on Bancroft Road in 1932. My aunt, Elsa Ann, was born in June 1936 Elsa was named after my grandfather's mother, Elke (Annie).

My grandparents moved their family, including my great-grandparents, to San Diego, California in 1946. In 1950 my grandpa set up Business Advisors (Mail Me Monday) and also set up HEP (Horrow Esterson Penter, a Locker Club). Mack was also one of the founders of the San Diego Jewish Community Center.

My grandparents were active in their Temple, Temple Beth Israel. Grandpa was president of Temple Beth Israel and grandma was the president of the sisterhood from 1953-54. Grandma, Ruth, was on the Temple's 75th anniversary planning committee. Aunt Elsa married Jim Stremlau in 1954.

Grandpa had a sporting goods store on Northwest 2nd and Broadway in San Diego in 1955. That year was also their 25th wedding anniversary. Daddy married my mom, Carol Steuer, on the 3rd of September 1956.

My great-grandpa, Joseph Bernstein died in June 1962. Daddy started working for Allstate Insurance. In 1965, Sarah Friedman Amdorsky passed away. Grandpa was retired in 1968, but set up Business Advisors organization. My great-grandma, Dora Friedman Bernstein died in August 1970

In 1973 grandma and grandpa moved to St Petersburg, Florida. Grandpa's three sisters lived there. Ben Friedman died at the age of 82 in 1975 (the year I graduated High School). Aunt Lil (Friedman Sandys), who I did know, passed away 1976. I also knew my great-grandmother's youngest sister, Ruth. My grandparents spent their 50th wedding anniversary, 1980, with us in San Diego, California. Aunt Ruth (Friedman Silbar) died in April 1983. My grandparents returned to California (Menlo Park) in mid-January, 1986.