A Lifelong Dedication to Dentistry and Community Leadership
Dr. Lewis J. Danovitch, 65, of 62 Walpole St.—a prominent philanthropist, civic leader, and longtime dentist—died yesterday at Norwood Hospital following a brief illness.
Born in Boston, Dr. Danovitch practiced dentistry in Norwood for over four decades following his graduation from Harvard Dental School in 1922. A pillar of his profession, he was a member of the American, Massachusetts, and Norfolk Dental Societies, having served as past president of the Norfolk society.
His civic involvement extended across numerous religious, business, and community organizations. Dr. Danovitch served as past president of the Rotary Club, the Norwood Chamber of Commerce, and Temple Shaare Tefilah. A key figure in local finance, he was one of the founders of the South Shore National Bank (originally established as the Norwood Bank and Trust) and served on its advisory committee at the time of his passing. His affiliations also included the Mt. Scopus Lodge of Masons, Aleppo Temple, the Miramashi Fishing Club of Canada, and as a charter member of the Walpole Country Club.
Deeply committed to charitable and international causes, Dr. Danovitch chaired the Israel Bond Drive and the Combined Jewish Philanthropies, and was a founder of the Hadassah Dental School in Israel.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Betty (Moshkowitch) Danovitch; two sons, Stuart Danovitch of Washington, D.C., and Alan P. Danovitch of Norwood; two brothers, Morris Danovitch of Norwood and Joseph Danovitch of Canton; and a sister, Miss Evelyn Danovitch of Canton. Funeral services were held at Temple Shaare Tefilah, officiated by Rabbi Joel H. Meyers, with burial following in Sharon Memorial Park. The family requested that contributions in his memory be made to Temple Shaare Tefilah in lieu of flowers.
Political Campaigns Halt Out of Respect-October 21, 1966
The passing of Dr. Danovitch prompted an immediate suspension of political campaigning in the region. The two Democratic incumbent state representatives for the 11th Norfolk District—David C. Ahearn and William Butters—announced they were halting all campaign activities during the family’s mourning period.
Ahearn and Butters were locked in a November election contest against the late doctor’s son, Alan P. Danovitch. In a joint statement released this morning, the two representatives extended their deepest sympathies to their opponent and the entire Danovitch family. The 11th Norfolk District encompassed the towns of Norwood, Foxboro, Sharon, and Walpole.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
-
Republican Lee Says He’ll Challenge Romney-July 9, 2005
Discover the 2005 campaign launch of Norwood’s own Gary M. Lee, who aimed to bring his 17 years of municipal experience to the Massachusetts State House.
-
John Rogers Wins 12th Norfolk Representative Seat After Knocking on 12,000 Doors-November 4, 1992
Blasting through a tough campaign with three worn-out pairs of wingtip shoes, legislative aide John Rogers defeated Joseph Pentowski to win the 12th Norfolk District representative seat.
-
House Candidates Campaign at Nahatan Village Ahead of September 15 Primary-August 26, 1992
Democratic primary candidates for state representative John Rogers, John Lydon, and Helen Abdallah Donohue squared off at a Nahatan Village forum governed by new Norwood Housing Authority rules.
-
Mitch Pentowski Announces 1992 Republican Bid for Norwood House Seat-September 5, 1991
School Committee member and local insurance broker Joseph “Mitch” Pentowski announced yesterday that he will enter the 1992 Republican primary race for state representative, marking a shift from his lifelong status as an independent voter to join the GOP by the end of the week. Pentowski, 61, described his conversion to the Republican Party as…
-
Selectman Butters Defends Public Dispute with Town Manager and Police Chief as a Power Struggle-October 5, 1990
Norwood Selectman William Butters defends his clash with Town Manager John Carroll and Police Chief George DiBlasi as a struggle over administrative power.
-
Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Steven Pierce Outlines Economic Plan to Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce-September 12, 1990
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steven Pierce outlines his small-business platform to the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce at Concannon’s Village.
-
Thomas Riolo Defends Auto Dealer Campaign Contributions Amid Criticisms from Incumbent William Keating-October 12, 1988
Norwood Selectman and Senate challenger Thomas Riolo defends accepting campaign donations from local auto dealers, pushing back against opponent William Keating’s criticism.
-
High Voter Turnout Surprises Officials as State Rep. Gregory Sullivan Defeats Challenger Timothy J. McDonough-September 16, 1988
An unexpectedly high 45 percent voter turnout drives state Rep. Gregory Sullivan to a primary victory over School Committee member Timothy J. McDonough.
-
Record 787 New Voters Registered in Historic Last-Day Rush for November Presidential Election-October 10, 1984
Norwood Town Hall experiences its largest single-day voter registration in 27 years, with 787 residents signing up ahead of the November presidential election.
-
Amedio DeFlaminis Marks 50 Years as an Election Poll Worker in Norwood-November 1, 1982
Celebrating 50 years working at Norwood’s election polls, Precinct E warden Amedio DeFlaminis shares memories of a half-century serving voters at the Callahan School.
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.