What began as a hobby after a throwaway suggestion on a commune in Vermont—that perhaps making candles could earn a little extra money—turned into a lifelong passion for Jermone Spector, who passed away on April 25 after contracting COVID-19.

For more than three decades, the multi-talented Spector ran Big Dipper Candles with color and creativity from his home.

The business became a benefactor for many Jewish communities and organizations with all of their candle needs. He was most well-known for his Chanukah candles, which kept customers coming back every year.

Fun and gregarious, Spector was a popular and engaged member of the Jewish community in Orange County. He was known to give his time to many causes without having to be asked, including My Father’s Soup Kitchen, and founded the Eitz Chaim Snack Initiative to ensure that local families in need were able to feed their children.

He also enjoyed gardening, both planting food and flowers, and other activities around the house.

Creative and loving to the very end, Spector is survived by his wife, Paula Elizabeth, their two children and two grandchildren.

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