Murray David Black, of Lexington, Massachusetts and Lauderhill, Florida passed away in the early morning hours of February 20, 2021 at the age of 95. He was born Moshe Swartz on November 7, 1925 in Boston, MA, the youngest of three sons of Julius Swartz and Mollie (Hecht) Swartz of beloved memory. His dear brothers Isadore Swartz and Carl Black predeceased him.
When Murray was 6 years old, his family moved from their urban Jewish neighborhood to Ayer, MA, home to Fort Devens. Presaging his future career, he won a high school prize for his essay, “The importance of radio to aviation.” In 1944, two months after he turned 19, Murray signed up for the U.S. Army, persuading them to accept him despite his flat feet. During his service, he courted Roberta Saul (known as Bobbi), who worked in her parents’ Ayer jewelry store, which catered to many service members. They were married in 1949.
Murray graduated with honors from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering in 1951 under the G.I. Bill. He later earned a Master of Business Administration at the university and subsequently taught in the MBA program. He always said “the best way to learn a subject is to teach it.” He valued education highly and pursued it throughout his life.
His first daughter, Jeanne, was born in 1952, and he moved with Bobbi to Lexington, MA because of its reputation for having an excellent school system. Twins Marcia and Deborah were born in 1955. In 1958, Murray answered a Help Wanted ad seeking “Bridge and Chess Players.” Thus began his career in the computer systems field, working first for MIT’s Lincoln Laboratories and then the MITRE Corporation, where his projects included aviation-related radio communications.
Murray and Bobbi belonged to the Arlington-Lexington-Bedford Jewish Community Center and became founding members of Lexington’s Temple Isaiah. Here, they made many life-long friends with whom they enjoyed hosting Havurah meetings and attending cultural events. Murray had a great sense of design. In addition to designing computer systems, he took up silversmithing in the 1970s, delighting friends and family members with his jewelry creations.
Murray retired from MITRE in 1990. Following Bobbi’s death in 1995, he married Lorraine Rogowitz (d. 2018). Together, Murray and Lorry established a new home in Fort Lauderdale. They returned to Lexington annually for many years to participate in peer-led life-long learning at Harvard and Brandeis Universities. He was an early-adopter of new technology, having an iPhone and iPad before any of his daughters. Retirement gave him the opportunity to combine his unceasing quest for knowledge with his passion for investing. In 2020, he began writing a book on investing in Green Energy.
Murray was an active participant in his community. He served on the Temple Isaiah Building Committee and was a member of its Brotherhood, was Treasurer of the Paint Rock Community Pool in the Turning Mill neighborhood, and later was a Board member of his condominium association in Fort Lauderdale.
Murray was devoted to his family, a kind, quiet man with a keen sense of humor and an eternally positive attitude, a sharp bridge and poker player, a reader and thinker. He was loved and appreciated by all who knew him, from his daughters, nieces and many friends to his final caregivers.
Murray will be buried next to his cherished first wife, Roberta, in a private graveside service on Tuesday, February 23. He is survived by his devoted children, Jeanne Black of Culver City, CA, Deborah Black and her husband Cliff Risack of Cambridge, MA and Marcia Black of Amherst, MA; adoring granddaughters Rosalie and Paramita Black of Amherst, MA; treasured nieces Julie Geran, Laura Black Silver, Betty Hirschfield and Charlotte Ashley; and beloved step-children and step-grandchildren Bernice Rogowitz (David Frank) and Gordon Rogowitz, and Aviva Frank, Elisa Rogowitz, and Benjamin Rogowitz.
The family is grateful for the companionship and loving care provided by Joan Paul during the final years of his life.
We hope to hold a Celebration of Life at the time of the unveiling in 2022.
If you would like to honor Murray’s memory, the family would appreciate contributions to Northeastern University, (mailing to: Advancement Information Systems, 118 Cushing Hall, Northeastern University
360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-9877) with the memo portion of the check indicating the D’Amore-McKim School of Business (DMSB) in memory of Murray D. Black or online at https://giving.northeastern.edu/live/profiles/309-damore-mckim-school-of-business-scholarship-fund.
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