Erwin Caplan passed away peacefully in the company of his family at Valley Regional Hospital after a long illness. Erwin was born in Chelsea, MA to Frieda and Abraham Caplan. He grew up in Lebanon, NH until moving to Claremont in the early 1950's.  He was a student at Boston University when he met and married his wife of 59 years, Roselyn.  Together they built a beautiful and productive life, had four loving children, and became prominent business people in the area.

Erwin started his business career working for his father in the wool waste business which he eventually inherited.  He loved the physical labor of loading bales of wool onto his trucks with his fork lift truck and driving his big truck to delivery locations around New England. He also ran a scrap metal business in his woolen mill and took a five year sojourn into the beverage business purchasing a soft drink franchise. He successfully ran the textile business for many years and when the textile industry migrated overseas he joined his wife in the real estate brokerage business.

He and his wife purchased Century 21 Highview Realty in 1982, building the business to its long, successful and prominent position in the county. Erwin's expertise was his love of business which d rove him to the area of commercial real estate sales and his success was in helping buyers and sellers locate big box stores, hotels, supermarkets, apartment complexes, etc. in New Hampshire and Vermont where he was licensed. Erwin had a brilliant mind and a great sense of humor which carried through even during his long illness.

He was a member of the Greater Claremont Board of Realtors and the New Hampshire and Vermont Commercial Investment Board of Realtors. At a national Century 21 convention Erwin was honored in 1989 as one of the top 100 commercial brokers in the country for his outstanding sales volume. Erwin served on the Claremont Historic District Committee and the Claremont Planning Board and was honored with a plaque for his 24 years of service upon his retirement four years ago.

The Caplan children were good students and athletes at Stevens High School and for many years Erwin's delight was watching the many sports activities in which they participated and enjoying their academic accomplishments.  He was particularly proud that all his children were college graduates and now are successful professionals.

Erwin was an avid snowmobiler and motorcyclist and enjoyed many years of winter and summer sports outings with family and friends.  Memories were built on the coast of Maine where the family vacationed for over 40 years. As recently as 2012, Erwin celebrated his 80'h birthday with his family and close friends in Maine.

Erwin leaves his devoted wife Roselyn, his four children, Phyllis Marcus, Bari Caplan-Bolger and her husband, James Bolger, Joanne Elgart, and Gary Caplan; six special grandchildren, Andrew Marcus, Ethan Marcus, Alison Bolger, Nicholas Bolger, Sara Elgart and Leah Elgart. He leaves his brother, Edward Caplan and his wife, Diana and their children, Andrew Caplan and David Caplan and their spouses Melissa and Ana, and his first cousin in England, Judith Bernard. He also leaves his brother-in-law, Gil Berkman.

Funeral services will be held at Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street in Claremont on Sunday afternoon, June 29^th at 2PM with Rabbi Edward S. Boraz, of the Upper Valley Jewish Community of Hanover, officiating.

Visiting hours will be held from 1 to 2PM prior to the service.

All are invited to a luncheon at Temple Meyer David following the burial service.

In lieu of flowers donations in his memory may be made to Temple Meyer-David or the Stevens High School Scholarship Fund in care of Roselyn Caplan, 11 Southbrook Drive, Claremont, NH 03743.