Barry R. Chesler

Born Dec. 26, 1947, to Florence and Hyman Chesler, Barry graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in 1966, and went on to graduate from Ohio University cum laude in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He also received his MBA from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management in 1972. He later became a State of Ohio certified public accountant and a notary public.

Starting his business career as an accountant with Arthur Anderson followed by a senior accountant position at J.K. Lasser & Co., now Cohen & Co., Barry then spent 25 years with Reider’s Inc., handling the financial aspects and managing in stores. He also had experience in retail sales, marketing and subordinate development. Barry left Reider’s when it was sold to Giant Eagle, later serving as director of special projects - real estate at Giant Eagle from November 1998 to June 2002. After that, he worked in the financial field at Northern Haserot until 2017, helping create the metropolitan market for the company. He also created Chesler & Associates, of which he was the managing director of from June 2000 until his death.

Barry had also been a member of the Solon Chamber of Commerce, once serving as president, and was a lifelong board member of Menorah Park.

He also was the founding president of the Cleveland Jewish News Foundation, serving from 2006 to 2010 and was elected an honorary life director at the completion of his term in 2010. He then served as a board chair of the Cleveland Jewish Publication Company from 2015 to 2018, then becoming an honorary life director in 2018.

Barry also lent his financial knowledge and talents to the Cleveland Pops Orchestra and the Schnurmann House.

Some of his accolades include being a Solon Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame inductee and a Cleveland Food Dealers’ Retailer of the Year, and was a member of both Beta Gamma Sigma, a business honor fraternity, and Beta Alpha Psi, an accounting fraternity. He was also affiliated with the American Institute of Accountants and the Ohio Society of Accountants. Barry was also known to mentor MBA candidates from Case Western during their career search.

Above all, Barry was very conscious of taking as good care of his family as possible. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of meeting him.

Barry is survived by his loving wife, Lynn (nee Reider); children, Rebecca Chesler and Jodi (Jeremy) Audino; grandchildren, Ari and Carly Audino; and sister, Judy (Irving) Post.

Services will be held on Sunday 1 p.m. May 7 at Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel, 1985 S. Taylor Road in Cleveland Heights.

Interment will be at Mount Olive Cemetery.

Family will receive friends following services and interment until 8 p.m.SUNDAY May 7, on MONDAY, TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY 1PM to 4PM and 7PM to 9PM at the residence, 435 Blossom Lane in Orange.

Friends who wish may contribute to the Cleveland Jewish News Foundation (cjn.org/foundation), the Lynn and Barry Chesler Educational Fund c/o Park Synagogue or the Lynn and Barry Chesler Activities Fund c/o Menorah Park Foundation.

Friends who are unable to attend the service, may view it at 1 p.m. May 7 by going to bkbmc.com, scroll down to obituaries, click on the obituary of Barry Chesler, scroll down to join live stream and click on join live stream.