Burton S. Rosenfield

Born in Chicago, Illinois on September 15, 1931, Burt was the youngest of Harry and Anna Rosenfield’s three sons. He graduated from Senn High School after skipping two grades, and attended Northwestern University, where he trained to play running back on the school’s football team.

Sidelined by an injury, he left college to work alongside his brothers at their father’s business, Sterling Hardware, in Chicago, where he helped grow the business, while also manually unloading boxcars filled with 50 and 100 pound paper bags of asbestos. His industriousness and physical strength would later come in handy.

Burt had three daughters and one son from previous marriages. Eventually, Burt moved to New York City, where he dabbled in several careers, including sales and acting, such as a much-discussed (at family dinners) run as “The Pickle Man,” in an Off-Off-Broadway production.

Burt moved to Philadelphia in the 1960s and worked for his eldest brother in the insurance industry. He soon branched off to start his own business, Temple Insurance Agency, which began in a one-room West Philadelphia office. Over the next two decades, Burt grew Temple into a multistate enterprise encompassing 26 offices, three separate companies, and over 100 loyal employees. He had true respect and affection for his employees, which was mutual. He retired in 1985 at age 55.

Burt’s retirement, like his life, was filled with adventure. He began powerlifting and was soon known among elite athletes as “The Living Legend.” Inducted into Multiple Powerlifting Halls of Fame, Burt ultimately won 105 world, national, and state powerlifting records, many of which remain unbroken. He claimed his final world record in 2014 at age 84.

Throughout his time in Philadelphia, Burt became deeply involved in city politics as a political consultant and donor. He met his beloved wife, Deborah Shafer, in 1991. She was clearly the love of his life, with him quickly announcing, “This is the one.” The couple married in 1993 and soon traveled four continents together.

They moved to Longboat Key in 1996, where he continued his political involvement and they patronized Sarasota’s arts and culture organizations.

Burt was predeceased by his parents and brothers Seymour and Gerald. He is survived by his loving wife, Deborah; children Lynne, Brad (Suticha), Beth, Wendy (Richard Wiener); and grandchildren Saliana and Harlan. As Burt sincerely advised, “Be everybody’s friend.”