Peter Marshall Arum

Peter was born in Manhattan and raised in Long Beach, NY, just blocks from the ocean that he loved so much. His father, Jack, was a baseball fan and a jeweler, two interests that filled Peter’s childhood along with Carvel ice cream and playing stick ball with his best friend.

He spent many summers working for his father, Jack, in the jewelry district in NYC. Peter would run errands carrying thousands of dollars’ worth of diamonds in his pocket from his father’s business to other jewelers in the area.

After graduating from Brandeis University, Peter went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He started his career teaching European History at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

While Peter loved teaching, he had a deep passion for ensuring people were treated properly, paid fairly and had the benefits they deserved. After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, Peter first worked for the American Association of University Professors, a job which led him to the highlight of his career. He turned his passion into practice as the Senior Policy Advisor for the National Education Association.

His work took him on trips around the country including Hawaii where he discovered his love for the very soft, comfortable and festive Hawaiian shirt. His collection of shirts grew and became the staple of his spring and summer wardrobe.

If you knew Peter, you were probably also the recipient of numerous newspaper clippings about subjects you mentioned during your last conversation with him. He devoured information and knowledge; reading consistently and even more impressively, remembering every detail of every article from current events around the world to pop culture to which recipe was featured in the New York Times. His emailed articles will be missed. Who will keep us informed?

His hobbies ranged from art to sports. He’d frequently meet his family & friends in art museums across the country, stroll the exhibits and catch up. His other favorite place to spend time was the race track…any race track. He loved horse racing, and was still rooting for his relatives’ horses in his final days.

Four and half years ago, Peter moved to Columbus, Ohio to be with his daughter and son-in-law, or his “roommates” as he would fondly refer to them and was able to spend quality time with his only child. Going to the farmer’s market to buy the very best dill pickles, watching the races, annoyed that his Warriors were on TV too late due to the time difference and rooting for his NY Giants while watching Red Zone.

Peter wouldn’t describe himself as a social person but get him in front of a few people and best of luck getting a word in edgewise. He was an amazing story-teller and had a very sharp wit. He cared deeply about his family, his close friends and former colleagues and quickly made friends with his doctors, dentist and physical therapists, sending them books for their children that his daughter had loved as a little girl.

Peter will be missed by so many, especially his daughter, sister, their husbands, his nephew and his beautiful family and his many cousins.

A Celebration of Life will be held for family and friends later this year.