Arnold "Bert" Bertram Fleishman

Arnold Bertram "Bert" Fleishman died peacefully at Transitions Life Care on August 15 at the age of 92. During his final days, he was surrounded by all the people who meant the world to him—his large and noisy family who loved him and will miss him every day.

Bert was born on a snowy night on January 8, 1926 to Minnie and Edwin Fleishman, both of whom predeceased him. He was born at home and the doctor who delivered him apparently was so busy celebrating his birth that he forgot to file a birth certificate, a story which Bert always enjoyed telling. He grew up in Fayetteville, attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which he loved all his life, and returned to Fayetteville during World War II to work as a DJ at the local radio station where he was broadcasting on VE day. His interest in music continued to influence his career choices, and he spent the better part of his career as a wholesale record distributor where he participated in the introduction of "beach music" through his association with and encouragement of various recording groups in the 1960s. One such group "The Tams" dedicated one of their albums to him.

In 1949 he married his sweetheart Harriet Faye Nelson and they moved to Charlotte, NC where they raised four children. In 1989 they moved to Raleigh to be closer to their grandchildren and enjoyed organizing State Fair excursions and family meal extravaganzas. Bert and Faye were married 53 years before her death in 2002.

Tradition and religion were very important to "Papa Bert" or "PB" as he was known by the friends of his children and grandchildren. None of his children ever spent a Thanksgiving anywhere else but with him their whole lives. Everyone loved his BBQ sauce recipe and his homemade mac 'n cheese, both recipes he remembered while other memories slipped away. He never forgot a grandchild's birthday or a Carolina Tar Heel basketball game and worked until he was close to 90, often saying "when you rest, you rust!" The only modern invention he didn't like was the GPS because one of his favorite pastimes was giving directions to any place in North Carolina.

Bert is survived by his four children: Beth Fleishman and her husband Richard Boyette, Ken Fleishman and his wife Amy, Deenie Purinai and her husband Tom, and Ed Fleishman and his partner Lisa Adams. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Rachel Boyette, Sara Fleishman, Rebecca Fleishman (Alex Fanaroff), Jon Purinai (Caitlin), Alison Purinai, Katy Purinai, Madie Fleishman and Lindsey Fleishman, as well as three great granddaughters: Evelyn Fleishman Fanaroff, Ruth Fleishman Fanaroff and Dillon Purinai.

The family would like to express its most profound gratitude to all the staff at Transitions Life Care, who returned Bert's dignity to him during his final days.

Funeral services will be Friday, August 17 at 1:30pm at Temple Beth Or, 5315 Creedmoor Rd, Raleigh, NC 27612.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made to Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607; Temple Beth Or; or a charity of your choosing.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh.