JACOB I. (JAY) ROSENBAUM, a quiet Cleveland civic leader, passed away on May 13. A partner with Cleveland law firms, Burke, Haber & Berick and Arter & Hadden, he retired of counsel of Tucker Ellis in 2007. He was actively involved in several civic organizations. He served as President for three years and board member for over 25 years of the Cleveland National Air Show. He was President of the Judson Retirement Community and served on its board for 25 years. He was President of the Kiwanis Club of Cleveland and later of its charitable foundation and received the 50 year Legion of Honor and prestigious Hixon awards. He was a Life Trustee of the Cleveland Zoological Society and the Golden Age Centers of Cleveland and a trustee of the Cleveland Women’s Orchestra and the Judson Foundation.
He was a native Clevelander and lived in Cleveland all of his life except for college years when he attended the University of New Mexico. He received his law degree from that institution and was admitted to the New Mexico bar in 1951, after which he returned to Cleveland, was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1952 and began the practice of law. He was a 50-year life member of both bar associations. In 1955 he was elected to the board of directors of the original Cleveland-based Ohio Savings Bank, and served as its President for six years and as an officer and director for 53 years.
In 1945 Jay enlisted in the U.S. Army and, after the end of World War II, served 18 months in the peacetime army. In 1964 he started training as a pilot and obtained a private pilot’s license, with single and multi-engine and instrument ratings. In 1967 he co-founded Mercury Aviation Company at Cuyahoga County Airport and served as its chairman until the company was dissolved in 1987. He became a member of the Lawyer Pilots Bar Association, of which he was elected President in 1980 and for which he edited its Law Journal for 14 years. On May 20, 1977, the 50th anniversary of the Lindberg flight, he established a record flight in a single engine aircraft flying solo 12 ½ hours non-stop from Cleveland to Key West and back to Cleveland for which he holds an award from the Fédération Aeronautique Internationale.
He was a member of Temple Emanu El in University Heights and later in Orange Village for over 50 years and served as its President in 1967-68. He co-chaired the fundraising committee for the new temple in Solon, and was twice elected Emanuelite of the Year. Jay also played trombone in the Hillcrest Concert Band during the later years of his life, and, as a long-time resident of Pepper Pike, served on its Road, Traffic and Safety Committee.
Beloved husband for 66 years to his wonderful wife, Marjorie; devoted father of Laura Rosenbaum (Daniel Roebuck), Alexander “Lex” Rosenbaum (Anita Park Rosenbaum) and Judith Bartell Goodman (Steve Goodman); loving grandfather of Daniel Mortenson (Susan Casey), Ari Rosenbaum (Sheena Rosenbaum), James Bartell (Nathalie Bartell), David Bartell, Benjamin Roebuck, Alece Pritchard Pugh (Mathew Pugh) and Christopher Pritchard (Jennifer Potokar); beloved great-grandfather of 12; dear brother of Ernest (Isadora) (both deceased), Arthur (Rona) and Lillian Snyder (MaryAlice Morris).
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 16 at 2:00 pm at Temple Emanu El, 4545 Brainard Road, Orange Village, Ohio 44022 and streamed at http://teecleve.org.
Family will receive friends at the residence, 28050 N. Woodland Rd., Pepper Pike following the interment, Thursday 1:00 – 9:00 pm, Friday 1:00 – 5:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 – 6:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, contributions suggested to Hillcrest Concert Band, c/o Paul Lawrence, 21 Brandywood Drive, Pepper Pike, Ohio 44124; Cleveland Women’s Orchestra, c/o Joan Cronquist, 2691 Country Club Blvd., Rocky River, Ohio 44116; Temple Emanu El Jacob & Marjorie Rosenbaum Fund, 4545 Brainard Road, Orange, Ohio 44022.
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