It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Asher Oppenheimer. To all of you who knew Asher, you know he was a beloved father, grandfather, uncle, friend, and neighbor. He loved life, and to the delight of his friends and family, he fought to live to the remarkable age of 103 (and 11 months). On Tuesday, January 6th, Asher passed away peacefully with his family by his side. Asher will be remembered as the sharp-witted, immensely charming, and loving man that so many of us had the privilege to know.

Asher lived a unique and remarkable life. On February 3, 1922, Asher was born in Karlsruhe, Germany to parents, Berthold and Erna Oppenheimer. His family was deeply woven into their German community. Asher enjoyed his early German childhood, but his life and the lives of his family changed dramatically with the emergence of the Nazi regime. To protect his family, Asher’s father made the painstaking decision to leave Germany to avoid persecution. Berthold and Asher’s younger sister, Marion, boarded a ship to the United States. As a boy, only 14 years old, Asher had become a Zionist, and decided instead to travel alone to the Holy Land, at the time under the British Mandate, to live with his Aunt Jenny and her family. He began a new life there, and as a young man, he became a member of the Haganah (the underground Israeli resistance, which later evolved into the Israel Defense Forces). While the war escalated, Asher bravely chose to return to Europe as a member of the British Army, where his linguistic abilities made him an asset for the British intelligence in their fight to defeat the Nazis. At the conclusion of the war, and with the establishment of Israel as a Jewish state, Asher continued his military service, then very proudly serving his own country as an Israeli Intelligence Officer. Over his life, he shared many stories of his wartime service, which profoundly contrasted with the modern comforts we enjoy. His commitment to being a warm and loving man, despite the horrors he courageously endured, serve as a true inspiration to many of us.

While in Israel, Asher met Esther Farchi. She fell in love with Asher’s “blue eyes”, and they were soon married. Together, they raised their two children, Dror and Ehud. After years in Israel, Asher and Esther made the decision to move their family to the United States. Along with their sons, Asher and Esther lived many happy years in the US, in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Maryland. Asher devoted his working civilian life to managing a senior care facility in PA, a testament to his patience and kindness. For the last many decades, Asher and Esther lived together in their Gaithersburg apartment, enjoying the company of their family and friends, particularly for Shabbat and on the Jewish holidays. Since Esther’s passing in 2020, Asher has lived alone, largely independently, to the amazement of us all. Over the last few years, he cherished the time he spent and his many, many phone calls with his family and friends.

Asher is survived by his sons, Dror and Ehud, and by his granddaughters, Arielle and Rachel. While we are deeply saddened by his passing, we fondly remember Asher’s humor and charisma, his devotion to his family and friends, and his unsurpassed resilience.Services entrusted to Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care.