Newton’s 9/11 honor roll

by | Sep 11, 2019 | Newton people | 4 comments

As has become an annual tradition here on Village 14 here are the names of 17 individuals who died as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that are known to have a Newton connection. If you know of any additional names, please add them to the comments section.

Mark Bavis, a Roslindale native who had recently moved to West Newton, was a hockey star at Catholic Memorial High School and played on the Boston University team. 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 four 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 pioneering Internet technology company. Akamai today delivers 15 to 30% of the world’s web traffic. The overwhelming, simultaneous, global demand for news on 9/11 showed that his technology was critical to enabling the Internet as we now know it.

Juliana McCourt, Daughter of Ruth Clifford McCourt. At age four 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 moved to Newton 22 years before, 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 and are part of the Salie family that owns L’Aroma Cafe and Bakery 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.