NEWPORT NEWS — Gunter “Garshon” Morgenstein spread some liverwurst over a bagel this summer — a favorite snack as a boy in Germany.
But his family said the liverwurst was contaminated, and the 88-year-old Newport News resident died a few weeks later.
Morgenstein — a retired Newport News hair stylist — was admitted to Riverside Regional Medical Center on July 8 after growing short of breath, and died there 10 days later.
“I think we’re all just still in shock, and just like completely mind blown, that this is how he died, because of lunch meat,” his son, Garshon “Shon” Morgenstein, said Saturday.
Though the elder Morgenstein was set to be released from the hospital a day or two after being admitted, his wife of 50 years, Peggy Morgenstein, questioned that decision.
“My mom was like, ‘I don’t think he should come home, because something is just off about him,’ ” said Shon Morgenstein, 49, of Virginia Beach. “He doesn’t look right, and he seems super weak.”
Riverside did more tests to get to the cause of the issue. A blood culture came back positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
Around that time, the family saw a news report about a major meat recall, to include the Boar’s Head Stassburger Brand Liverwurst made at a plant in Jarratt, about 75 miles west of Norfolk.
“Then we put two and two together,” Shon Morgenstein said.
According to the July 26 recall notice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recalled the liverwurst after finding that the Boar’s Head product made at the plant between June 11 and July 17 may be “adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.”
The USDA warned that eating the contaminated food can cause listeriosis, an infection that begins in the gastrointestinal tract and leads to fever, muscle aches, headache, confusion, loss of balance and flu-like symptoms.
“Serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems,” the report added.
Other meats made on the same line also were affected, with more than 200,000 pounds of meat ultimately recalled.
While his father’s liverwurst packaging had long been thrown away, Shon Morgenstein tracked the June 30 purchase to the Harris Teeter grocery store, on Warwick Boulevard in Newport News’ Hidenwood section.
Morganstein consumed the liverwurst “one or more times” between June 30 and July 7, according to Tony Coveny, an attorney with a Texas law firm that is representing the family in the case.
Despite being treated with antibiotics at the hospital, Gunter Morgenstein kept feeling worse.
“We said, ‘You just have to try to keep fighting, don’t give up,'” his son said. “I know you want to go home, but just keep fighting … But he never really spoke again after that.”
Morgenstein died July 18 at Riverside.
His death and his family’s contentions about the food poisoning were first reported Friday by WAVY-10.
Elizabeth Ward, a vice president for communications at Boar’s Head Provisions Co., could not be reached Saturday for comment. A spokeswoman for Harris Teeter declined to comment.
The family is in touch with Coveny, who works for Ron Simon & Associates, a Texas law firm that represents victims in food poisoning claims.
“We have not yet filed the lawsuit, on this or any of the other victims we represent, but will make that decision in the coming weeks,” Coveny said. ”
Gunter Morgenstein survived the Holocaust, and left Germany in 1954. After emigrating to Canada, he moved to Newport News more than 50 years ago and became a “master hair designer.”
He leaves behind a son and two daughters, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
“He showed his courage in facing life challenges with a smile, and stayed strong until the end,” the family’s obituary said.
Peter Dujardin, 757-897-2062, pdujardin@dailypress.com
