Joseph LeVow Steinberg

Joseph LeVow Steinberg of Short Hills, New Jersey, died on December 31, 2024. He was born on May 16, 1934 in Passaic, NJ and attended Passaic public schools, where he was recognized as an “Outstanding Young Citizen of Passaic County.”

Jody (as he was known in Passaic) built on that auspicious start and received a scholarship to attend Harvard College. In college, he was, as he put it, “active in the Young Democrats and the student radio station, chasing women, etc.” He graduated Harvard College magna cum laude in 1956, receiving many accolades including Phi Beta Kappa, the Joseph Bonaparte Prize in Government, and the John Harvard Scholarship. He attended Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the winning Ames Moot Court team and graduated cum laude in 1959. He was forever grateful for his Harvard education and showed it through service as the President of the Harvard Club of New Jersey and as a Regional Director of the Harvard Alumni Association, and by collecting every piece of antique Harvard memorabilia he could find (and then donating it all back to the school).

Joe served six months active duty in the Army at Fort Dix, NJ and Fort Gordon, GA. He was in the Signal Corps from June to December 1959, and then served for a few years in the New Jersey National Guard. More impressive than his service, though, were the stories about how he ended up, through an insurance scheme and a well-timed football game, leaving the service.

Joe met the love of his life, Vivian (Tomich), in Newark, NJ, in April 1960. She was working at a theater ticket agency in the office building of the law firm where Joe started and built his career. In their first conversation, Joe mentioned that he went to Harvard. Vivian found that obnoxious but thank G-d she looked past that. For his part, the fact that she wasn’t Jewish was no problem because “when you’re in love, everyone’s Jewish.” They were married in Newark in June 1961 and, after living in East Orange NJ until 1966, they moved into their starter home in Short Hills and never left. Vivian and Joe’s love for each other was clear to anyone who met either of them. They sustained and supported each other through all that life brought, enjoying the good times and holding each other through the difficult times. They toasted each other at every holiday and we will be toasting their love story forever.

In 1960, Joe joined Alan V. Lowenstein as an associate attorney in Newark, NJ. The firm that has become Lowenstein Sandler – a firm of 350+ in five states – was founded Lowenstein and Spicer with three partners and one associate: Joe. He specialized in real estate and land use, represented banks in secured lending and mortgage lending, and practiced general corporate and commercial law. He loved his work, the firm, its mission and its people, and that love was shown through leadership in firm recruiting and attorney development. He served as a mentor to countless attorneys throughout the years. He retired from full time practice in 2004 but continued some practice with the firm as Of Counsel for many years. From 2004 until 2017, he worked part time at Seton Hall as a counselor in the Office of Career Services and until 2020 as an Adjunct Professor of Law teaching New Jersey Land Use Practice.

Joe was a leader and active community member throughout his life. Among other activities, he was President of the New Jersey Association on Correction; board member and then Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee and pro bono attorney for Temple Sinai, Summit NJ; Democratic County Committee person in Millburn and before that President of the Fifth Ward Democratic Association in East Orange NJ; member, then Chairman, of the Millburn Township Zoning Board of Adjustment; member of Millburn Township Planning Board and Millburn Township Historical Preservation Commission; and Vice President and Board member of the Metro NJ Chapter of the American Jewish Committee.

Joe’s other interests included Jewish geography, going to the racetrack and Atlantic City, traveling for firm retreats to places he could bring his wife and kids and have a vacation, walking the perimeter of property on the agenda at his next Zoning Board meeting, attending Harvard reunions, listening to Willie Nelson, playing tennis, reading in front of the fire, and telling stories.

In fact, as all who knew him knew well, Joe was a man of many words – until he wasn’t. His trademark loquaciousness was taken away, as were so many other of his functions, by a cruel disease called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Joe’s memory to CurePSP: https://www.psp.org/.

But among all of his many roles and activities, nothing brought him more joy than being the husband of Vivian, the father of his children and the loving Papa to his grandchildren. To all of us, he was unfailingly supportive, curious about our lives, proud of every accomplishment, and comforting during every challenge. Joe Steinberg was a mensch. We will miss him forever.

Joe is survived by his beloved wife Vivian and his adoring children Jason, Liz, and Vicky (Gavi Wolfe). Another child, Leslie Vica, died in childhood in 1975. He is also survived by the grandchildren whom he loved with all of his heart, Jack, Isabel, Harry, Sam, Ruby and Micah; his sister Ellen Mones; Ramzy Abdallah, Beth Steinberg, and many loving cousins, friends, fellow board members, tennis partners, and law firm colleagues.

A funeral service for Joe will be held Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Temple Sinai in Summit, NJ, 208 Summit Ave, Summit, NJ 07901. A private burial will follow. Shiva will take place at the Steinberg home; email [email protected] for the address.