Israel Issokson, 90
Falmouth resident for 80 years clothing store owner
FALMOUTH - Israel Issokson, 90, owner of Issokson's, Inc. clothing store and Falmouth resident for 80 years, died Friday at the Mayflower Place in West Yarmouth.
He was the husband of the late Sarah Hirsch Issokson.
Born in Malmo, Sweden, he and his family emigrated to New York in 1913. They lived in Brooklyn for a short time before moving to Martha's Vineyard, settling later in Falmouth.
Mr. Issokson was a 1927 graduate of Lawrence High School, where he played basketball and football. He then attended Northeastern University. He played semi-professional basketball in southeastern Massachusetts.
In 1929, he joined the family business, the retail clothing store Issokson's, Inc., begun by his father in 1917. He later became its president.
Mr. Issokson spent the winter months at his residence in Sarasota, Florida.
He was a treasurer of the Cape Cod Synagogue for 25 years and an Honorary Life Trustee. He was a founding member of the Falmouth Jewish Congregation.
Mr. Issokson was a member of the board of trustees of both Falmouth Hospital and Plymouth Savings Bank. He was a Paul Harris Fellow at the Falmouth Rotary Club and a member of the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce, the Marine Lodge of Falmouth Masons and the James Barnes Oddfellows Lodge.
He is survived by two sons, Stanley E. Issokson of Hyannis and Gerald L. Issokson of Boston five grandchildren six great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are at noon today at the Cape Cod Synagogue, 145 Winter St., Hyannis. Burial is in Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon.
Memorial observance will be held through Tuesday at the home of Stanle Louise Issokson.
Memorial contributions may be made to Falmouth Hospital, 100 Ter Heun Dr., Falmouth, MA 02540 the Cape Cod Synagogue, 145 Winter St., Hyannis, MA 02601 or the Falmouth Jewish Congregation, 7 Hatchville Rd., Falmouth, MA 02536.
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Gerald Issokson, 61, of South Yarmouth pleaded guilty to 10 counts of larceny over $250 by continuing scheme and two counts of forgery, District Attorney Daniel Conley said Tuesday.
Issokson was sentenced to 31/2 to 5 years in prison, followed by five years of probation. Issokson also must pay more than $2.1 million in restitution to 13 victims.
"The victims all knew and trusted the defendant," said District Attorney Daniel F. Conley. "Gerald Issokson enjoyed a good reputation, but violated the trust of his friends and associates."
Conley said the case was, to his knowledge, the largest white-collar crime case in the history of the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.
He is listed as a broker for the West Yarmouth office of Pine Shores Real Estate in Yarmouth and at H. Levenbaum Realtors and Insurance in Dorchester. In 1999, he was president and owner of the business, he said.
From 1996 to 2002, Issokson raised funds from victims to be used as loans to contractors renovating properties in Boston for resale. In many cases, he declined to tell the victims when the properties sold and would pocket their principal.
A call placed to Issokson's South Yarmouth home went unreturned late yesterday. 2004.
In 2002, his brother Stanley, his daughter and other family members and acquaintances filed multiple civil suits against Issokson charging he had bilked them out of $4 million, according to a Boston Globe article from that time. The district attorney had launched a criminal investigation by then as well.
The district attorney's office declined to provide the names of those victimized by Issokson in the criminal case. But David Procopio, a spokesman for Conley, confirmed that the victims were the same as those who had filed a civil suit against Issokson.
Gerald was a 1962 graduate of babson. His address at that time was 15 allan avenue falmouth.
