Beloved husband of Joy Perlow; devoted father of Dr. Robert Haber (Mary Ellen Brook) and Theodore Haber (Sezelle); cherished grandfather of Maxwell (Fay), Isabel, Sophie and Lucas Haber; dear brother of Trudy Kaplan (Howard).
My father died today. I choose to celebrate his life rather than mourn his death, as he accomplished much in his 93 years. Born into poverty in Vienna, Austria in 1925, the Holocaust enveloped his family. His father was arrested on Kristallnacht in 1939 and sent to Dachau. Upon his release, he arranged for his two children to flee to safety. My father had to do what no child of 13 should have to do, watch from a train window as his parents slowly disappeared from view, knowing he would never see them again. He guided his 9 year old sister across a hostile continent to France, where they boarded a ship to America and waiting relatives. Landing without knowing a word of English, he adapted quickly, and in four short years volunteered to serve his new country in the Army, and fought the Nazis that killed his family. He served first as an infantryman, landing at Normandy a few months after D-Day, then joined the signal corps where he served for the duration of the war. My dad was awarded two battle stars, and his unit, the 36th Infantry Division of the Seventh Army, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for “extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy,” and the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation for “exceptionally meritorious conduct.” Needless to say, I had to discover all this on my own, as he did not discuss his service much. My father was one of the last surviving WWII veterans who was also a Holocaust survivor.
He went on to earn a degree in Electrical Engineering, and when my mother died when my brother and I were only nine and seven, he raised his two little boys by himself, something that few men did in those days. He traveled the world, became an avid Star Trek fan (and Spock doppelganger) and only retired at the age of 90. He was an affectionate father, a loving grandfather, and a great role model.
Rest in peace dad, I hope I can be half the man that you were.
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