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Married For 61 Years, Husband And Wife Slain In Synagogue Are Laid To Rest

The only couple to die in the Pittsburgh synagogue bloodbath were laid to rest Thursday.

Late on an overcast Thursday morning, mourners trickled into the Ralph Schugar Chapel for the funeral of Sylvan Simon, 86, and his wife, Bernice, 84, who had been married for nearly 62 years. He was a retired accountant, she a retired nurse.

Augie Siriano, a custodian at Tree of Life, said the couple often brought him chocolate chip cookies, and that Sylvan Simon liked to talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers professional football team.

“They were just wonderful, graceful people,” Siriano said.

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