Newton Remembers Sept. 11

NEWTON, MA — As police and fire departments across the country remember those who died as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the Commonwealth is remembering the 206 who lost their lives as a result. And Newton, too, is remembering a number of people who had connections to the city who perished as a result of the attacks.

Tuesday morning Mayor Ruthanne Fuller lowered the flag to remember those from Newton who were lost 17 years ago.

In 2001, on Sept. 11, Newton’s Mark Bavis was headed to LA in his role as a hockey scout, looking for prospective players at the Los Angelas Kings training camp. Bavis died on flight United Airlines 175.

He was one of at least 17 people with strong ties to Newton, who died in the attacks.

The MA state house will lower the flag and then read the names of those lost in the attacks 16 years ago. Logan airport will hold a minute of silence at 8:46 a.m. to remember those aboard the two hijacked planes that took off from Logan. The Governor and Boston Mayor Walsh will go to the Boston Public Gardens this afternoon to lay a wreath.

And in Newton, where at least a dozen civilians were known to have died as a result of the attacks, there will be an annual commemoration on the front lawn of the Newton Centre Fire Department Headquarters, Wednesday (to accommodate the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah).

From the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce, which sends out an email list of those who died as a result of the attacks:

• Mark Bavis, a Roslindale native who had recently moved to West Newton, was a hockey star at Catholic Memorial High School. He was on board one of the two planes.
• Ruth Clifford McCourt, owned and managed a business that may have been called Clifford Classique in Newton Highlands and/or Beacon Street and lived on Comm Ave in Newton in a big Victorian. This article says her 4-year-old daughter was also on board, the youngest victim that day. She was close friends with Paige Farley-Hackel.
• Paige Farley-Hackel, 46, was a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and was trying to get certification as a spiritual instructor. She was on board American Airlines Flight 11, heading to California to speak with radio producers about a radio show on spirituality.

• Eric Hartono, originally from Indonesia, was reported to be a student in Newton who was moving to Los Angeles. He was on board United Airlines Flight 175.

• Nicholas Humber, 60, a resident of Auburndale. He was one of the first employees of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1971, and was instrumental in starting its waste management division. He was also on American Airlines Flight 11.

• Aaron Jacobs died at the World Trade Center at age of 27. A vice president and partner on the international trading desk at Cantor Fitzgerald. His parents, Alice and Laurence Jacobs lived in Waban.
• Ariel Louis Jacobs, 29,was a newlywed, an expectant father, executive vice president of U.S. Operations of Caplin Systems, and the brother of Newton-resident Claudia Jacobs when he died in the World Trade Center. His first and only child was born six days after his death.
• Danny Lewin, 31, died on board American Airlines Flight 11. He lived in Newtonville with his wife and children. He founded Akamai Technologies, a website management system.
• Juliana McCourt, 4, daughter of Ruth Clifford McCourt, was the youngest victim on the day.
• Stuart Meltzer, 32, grew up in Newton Highlands and moved to Long Island not long before his death. He was remembered fondly by teachers and coaches at the Rivers School in Weston. He worked in energy management, with offices in the World Trade Center.
• Richard Ross, 58, a resident of Oak Hill. A businessman, he lived in Newton for 22 years, and had run a travel agency and a copy machine sales business before becoming a corporate consultant. He died on board American Airlines Flight 11.
• Jean, 55, and Don Peterson, 66, of Spring Lake, N.J. Jean was a retired nurse and nursing teacher, church and community volunteer. Don was a retired president, Continental Electric Co., church and community volunteer. The mother and stepfather of Newton North Principal Jen Price were aboard United Flight 93.
• Rahma Salie, 28, and Michael Theodoridis, 32, were expecting their first child when they died aboard American Airlines Flight 11. She worked for an internet security company and he was a technology consultant. Their parents, Haleema and Ysuff Salie, live in West Newton.
• Clarin Siegel Schwartz, 51, was a tax lawyer and senior vice president at Aon Consulting Inc. in the World Trade Center. She was also a 1967 graduate of Newton South High School.
• Amy Toyen, 24, grew up in Avon, Conn., and moved to Newton in 1999. She was planning to get married in 2002. She was on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center at a trade show for her company, Thompson Financial Group.

Newton's Annual 9-11 Commemoration

Where: at the Newton 9-11 Memorial
(on the front lawn of the Newton Centre
Fire Department Headquarters)
1164 Centre Street

When: 6 p.m. Wed., Sept 12. (it's been moved because of Rosh Hashanah)

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff