Bernard Gitlin of Newton MA, Hyannis MA and Highland Beach, FL passed away peacefully after a short and courageous battle with Leukemia on July 22, 2023. Better known as Buddy, Bernie, Daddy and Papa, he is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Brenda Berman Gitlin, his two daughters, Jocelyn Deutsch and Melissa Jacoby, his sons-in-law, Michael Deutsch and Joshua Jacoby and his five grandchildren, Marlee, Matthew, Talia, Max and Ryan. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Victor Berman, his sisters and their husbands, Sam and Harry Goldberg and Leslea and Robert Harelick and nephews, David Harelick, Scott Harelick and Andrew Goldberg, their spouses and children.
Buddy was a graduate and avid supporter of Lehigh University. He served in the Coast Guard before settling in the Boston area in the early 60’s. He served on the board of Camp Allen, supporting children with disabilities and has passionately raised close to $400,000 for Dana Farber Cancer Institute over the last 22 years by riding in the Pan-Mass Challenge.
Better known as Bernie in business, he was successful in real estate and became known as the “Condo Insurance Guru”. Working at Rodman Insurance for many years, then co-founded his own agency, Global Insurance Network in the 90’s and finally sold the business to Risk Strategies where he was still doing consulting work a few short weeks ago.
Buddy understood what was truly most important in life, his family. Many people knew him as Buddy and no moniker suited someone’s essence better than “Buddy”, anyone who was in his presence, whether for a minute or a lifetime felt like his buddy. He and Brenda filled their lives with family, love, traveling, boating, skiing, eating and making friends everywhere.
Source: Brezniak Funeral Directors
