Saul Berman, 57, dies unexpectedly; funeral Sunday

SAUL CAMERON BERMAN, the business owner of Jack’s Metal Arts, a firm known for its hand crafting of metal works of art and in particular for its specialization of gas lanterns popular throughout the French Quarter and elsewhere, died unexpectedly on Thursday, June 2, 2016. He was 57.

Berman collapsed on a streetcar late that evening and was rushed to Touro Infirmary. However at the time of his arrival, he could not be revived.

Berman took over the business in 2001, following the death of his father of blessed memory, Jack Berman.  A Holocaust survivor, the elder Berman arrived in New Orleans in 1949, having been trained in the European method of working with metals. “Most of what I know about working metal I learned from my father,” Berman stated on his company website. ” I also learned how other people worked metal by repairing lighting and other metal items that were brought in by customers.  I, like my father, believe that to make a higher quality lantern than the competition you have to use better material and employ a higher level of craftsmanship.  I, also, enjoy working iron as much as I do copper.  That is why I do not use outsourced iron brackets on our lanterns the way almost all of our competition does.”

He is survived by his wife Dorothy Chan Berman and twin brothers Benjamin Berman (Ingrid Carol) and Bernard Berman.

Graveside services were held on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at the Anshe Sfard Cemetery, 4400 Elysian Fields Avenue. Rabbi Yossie Nemes officiated.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the National Kidney Foundation Walk, 8200 Hampson St # 425, New Orleans, LA 70118.   Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp Funeral Home of Metairie was in charge of arrangements.