Sharon, MA Teen Eliezer Schectman, 19, University of Maryland Engineering Student and Son of David and Sarah Schectman, Dies at 19

Eliezer Yehuda Schectman, known to those closest to him as “Ez,” passed away on June 2, 2026, at just 19 years old.

The Sharon, Massachusetts native left behind a family and community still struggling to find words adequate to describe the void his absence creates. He was a beloved son, grandson, brother, and uncle whose brief life left a mark far deeper than his years would suggest.

Born on June 12, 2006, Eliezer grew up surrounded by a large and devoted family who recognized early on that he possessed something rare.

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His intellectual gifts were apparent to everyone around him, and he channeled that brilliance into pursuing an engineering degree at the University of Maryland, College Park.

He was well on his way toward a future that seemed boundless, the kind of young man whose potential made people genuinely excited to watch what came next.

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But those who knew Ez will tell you that his mind was only part of what made him so special. It was his warmth that people felt first. His humor had a way of lighting up a room without effort. His smile, by all accounts, was the kind that stayed with you.

Friends and family consistently describe a young man who made people feel seen and valued, someone whose creativity extended beyond academics into the way he connected with those around him.

A Family That Will Hold His Memory Close

Eliezer is survived by his parents, Sarah Schectman and David Schectman, cherished also as a son by Chris Beebe.

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He leaves behind his siblings Asher and Leah Schectman, Adina and Shmuel Tsvi Rosen, Shifra and Ari Luss, and Noam and Faigy Schectman, as well as numerous nieces and nephews who will grow up hearing stories about the uncle they lost too soon.

His grandfather, Dr. Richard Schectman, and grandmother, Linda Epstein, also survive him.

The family has found an outpouring of support from their Sharon community and beyond. A graveside funeral service was held on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 1 PM at Independent Pride of Boston Cemetery on Baker Street in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, under the care of Stanetsky Memorial Chapels.

Community Gathers to Mourn and Remember

Shiva, the traditional Jewish mourning period, began following the burial at the family home in Sharon and continues through Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

Morning prayers and visiting hours have been scheduled across multiple days to allow the many people touched by Eliezer’s life to come together, share memories, and offer comfort to a family navigating an unimaginable loss.

One community member, Rivkah Tyler, shared a simple but telling memory. She recalled David bringing young Eliezer to Etz Chaim every Shabbos, a small detail that paints a picture of a childhood rooted in faith and family.

Nineteen years is not enough time. It is not enough time for a young engineer with a sharp mind and a sharper smile to do all the things the world was waiting for him to do. But the people who loved Ez will carry him forward, and that, in the end, is its own kind of legacy.