Louis Topkis, 58, former treasurer of the Zionist Organization of America, and head of the Topkis Underwear Company of Delaware, died here today after a long illness of a complication of diseases. He had just returned from a visit to Florida. The funeral, which was attended by a delegation of leading Zionists, including Morris Rothenberg and Judge William M. Lewis, vice-presidents; Judge Bernard A. Rosenblatt, Morris Weinberg, Harry P. Fierst, Joseph Weiss, Philip Wattenberg, Meyer Weisgal, Dr. S. Bernstein and I. Matin, took place Monday afternoon.
Mr. Topkis, who was born in Odessa, Russia, came to the United States in 1872 and received his education in the public schools of Wilmington. A well-known figure in the Republican party of Delaware, he was very active in Jewish communal affairs and was known for his many philanthropies. He was a member of the administrative committee of the Zionist Organization of America, of the Council of the Jewish Agency, and of the executive committee of the American Jewish Committee.
He was president of the Hebrew Charity Association, and had been a director of that organization for 32 years. He was also chairman of the board of directors of the Adas Kodesch congregation and was one of the leading spirits in what is now the Jewish Community Center.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.