Obituaries - Oct. 10, 1998

Murray Korda; Violinist and Orchestra Leader

Murray Korda, 70, a violinist and orchestra leader who performed for eight U.S. presidents and 37 heads of other countries. Born in Far Rockaway, N.Y., Korda studied music in France and Italy before touring the United States with the American Symphony Orchestra. Enlisting in the Army in 1952, he served as assistant concertmaster of the President’s Army Band, which was called upon frequently to entertain heads of state. After his discharge as a master sergeant, he formed the Monseigneur Strings, a 20-piece ensemble that entertained at a number of Southern California hotels and restaurants, becoming one of the best-known society dance orchestras in the area. He also appeared as an actor in a number of television shows and motion pictures. Survivors include his wife, Joan, two sons, two daughters and 11 grandchildren. On Sept. 30 in a traffic accident in Shoreham, Vt.

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* Bruno Munari; Headed Italy’s Artistic Movement

Bruno Munari, 90, an architect, artist and leading member of Italy’s futurist movement. Munari’s paintings, sculptures and mobiles are on display at galleries and museums throughout Europe. They include “Macchine Inutili” (Useless Works) and an album of 27 plates known as “Cantastoria Campari” (Campari Street Singer). In 1948, he founded the Movimento Arte Concreta, known as the Mac artistic movement. On Sept. 29 in Milan, Italy.

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* Emily Torchia; Film Publicist for MGM

Emily Torchia, 91, film publicist who worked for MGM studios from 1939 to 1969, during which time she handled many of the studio’s major films and top stars such as Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. She is survived by a cousin, Dorothy McKinley. Services will be held at St. Augustine’s Church in Culver City at 10 a.m. Monday. On Oct. 7 of congestive heart failure.

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* Kes Menashe Zemro; Jewish Spiritual Leader

Kes Menashe Zemro, 92, who was the spiritual leader of the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel. Kes Menashe, as he was known to his followers, was one of thousands of Ethiopian Jews who immigrated to Israel during the 1991 Gulf War. In Ethiopia, a kes served as the community’s religious leader, much as a rabbi does in mainstream Judaism. But when the Ethiopian Jewish community came to Israel, the authority of the kes was not recognized by Israel’s governing religious body. Kes Menashe was not permitted to officiate at religious ceremonies such as weddings or funerals but continued to act as a spiritual leader, encouraging community members to bear the trials of immigration with patience and tolerance. He is survived by several children and grandchildren. On Wednesday in Israel.