Virginia Family Remembers Holocaust Survivor Killed in Listeria Outbreak Linked to Boar's Head

A Virginia family is mourning the loss of a beloved father, grandfather, and community member, Günter “Garshon” Morgenstein, who died as a result of the ongoing listeria outbreak linked to Boar's Head deli meats.

The outbreak, first reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on July 19, has resulted in at least 43 illnesses and hospitalizations, including three deaths, across 13 states as of Aug. 8. The spread of listeria has been connected to sliced deli meats distributed by Boar's Head, which initially issued a recall for 207,528 pounds of its liverwurst products on July 26, and later expanded the recall on July 30 to include all of its sliced deli meats, totaling about 7.2 million pounds of product.

Health agencies, including the CDC and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), are working with Boar's Head to determine the origins and scope of the outbreak. On Aug. 8, the CDC reported a new death, confirming Morgenstein as the third fatality in the outbreak.

'His parents hid him under floorboards'

Morgenstein was born in Cottbus, Germany, on June 29, 1936, to a Jewish family. He fled Nazi Germany and survived the Holocaust by hiding under floorboards, according to his son, Garshon "Shon" Morgenstein. He escaped East Berlin in 1954 and traveled to Canada to meet his brother, speaking no English at the time.

"My brother told me the only way I would learn English was not to hang around with Germans but instead to go to English versions of movies I had already seen in Germany and walk the streets trying to read the signs," Morgenstein told a local newspaper in 1999.

A Master Stylist and Community Pillar

Morgenstein built an over 70-year career in cosmetology, becoming a Master Hair Designer who worked with notable figures and organizations like Paul Mitchell and S&L. He began working in a barber shop at around 13, lying about his age to secure the job.

"He was a creative type of person," said Garshon. "Doing somebody's hair, he thought of what style would look best on them to fit their face and created it."

Morgenstein moved to Virginia, became a U.S. citizen, and continued his career for about 50 years, focusing on women's hair. He met his wife, Peggy, in a salon in the 1960s, and they married in 1972. Peggy worked as his assistant and brought two daughters from a previous marriage. The couple later had Garshon together.

"My dad was a completely extroverted person," Garshon said. "He loved to talk to people, loved the grandkids... even if he was going to the grocery store for a couple of items, my mom would always get mad because he'd be gone for, like, an hour and a half because he'd be in there talking to every single person because he knows everybody."

'Strong until the end'

On July 8, Garshon received a call from his mother that his father was having trouble breathing and was headed to the emergency room. Morgenstein was admitted and tested positive for meningoencephalitis and Listeria monocytogenes. Medical records confirmed his immediate cause of death as Listeria meningoencephalitis.

The family discovered that Morgenstein had purchased recalled Boar's Head liverwurst that matched the lot number and production timeline of the outbreak. Despite antibiotic treatment, Morgenstein deteriorated quickly and died on July 18, 2024.

Health Officials Link Third Death to Boar's Head Listeria Outbreak

Health officials sent blood samples taken from Morgenstein to the CDC, which uses advanced laboratory methods to trace the illness's origin. The CDC reported Morgenstein as the third confirmed death linked to the ongoing listeria outbreak on Aug. 8.

Boar's Head Responds to Illnesses, Deaths

Boar's Head issued the following response to USA TODAY:

"We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on affected families. No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for those who have suffered losses or endured illness.

We are conducting an extensive investigation in partnership with leading food safety experts to determine how our liverwurst produced at our Jarratt, Virginia facility was adulterated and to prevent it from happening again.

As soon as we learned of a possible health risk with our liverwurst, we immediately and voluntarily recalled it and then expanded our recall out of an abundance of caution to include additional products made at the same plant over the same period of time. We have paused production at this facility and will not resume until we are confident that it meets the standards our customers expect and deserve. Consumer health and wellness are, and always have been, our top priorities."

The Human Toll

The CDC stated that recalls of this kind may seem more common due to better methods of testing. For families like the Morgensteins, these headlines represent an immeasurable human toll.

"(My dad) grew up in the Holocaust, so obviously he was a Holocaust survivor and that's part of the irony of the whole thing," said Garshon Morgenstein. "Surviving something like that as long as he did, you know, only to (meet his end) by deli meat."

The family is seeking legal action related to Morgenstein's death.

Anthony Coveny of Ron Simon & Associates, handling the family's case, estimated the number of yearly food poisoning illnesses in the U.S. at 48 million, with about 3,000 deaths. The USDA also reports these statistics.

Any progress will be welcomed, but any change is supremely bittersweet for the Morgensteins. "He would have wanted this, his story told," said Garshon. "So I just have to try to be his voice."

Morgenstein's legacy stands as a testament to his spirit, impact, and the irreplaceable void left behind.