Harry Simon Vogel

Harry Simon Vogel was born on Yom Kippur, October 7, 1935. The first son of Arthur and Freida Vogel in Frankfort am Main, Germany. Arthur and Freida owned a grocery and sold fresh fruits and vegetables. During this time the Nazis came to power. Harry’s father Arthur was taken to Buchenwald concentration camp. His prisoner number 26170. Before the final solution the Nazis wanted to force the Jews to leave Germany. Any Jews with a baby boy could buy their way out if they had family willing to sponsor them. Harry’s maternal grandmother and Uncle were already in the US and sent $300 so they could buy Arthur out of the camp and get the family out of Germany. Frida, Harry’s older sister Ruth, and 2-week-old Ralph fled Germany with nothing but the clothes on their backs to Switzerland where they spent one day before they were kicked out and fled to London. Eventually, Arthur met them in London where they stayed in a one room flat until baby Ralph was strong enough to make the Trans-Atlantic journey on a freighter. The journey was long and the seas were so rough, little Ralph was thrown from his highchair and Harry and Ruth were terribly sea sick for most of the journey. They arrived in Nova Scotia as European refugees. Their picture and a story about European refugees was printed in Canada’s Daily Globe. They traveled down to New York City having no money left after arriving at Grand Central Station then taking a cab to the Bronx where Uncle Arthur paid for the cab.

The family of five lived together while Arthur worked as a Janitor and then a butcher curing meat and fish. Arthur worked hard instilling an amazing work ethic for his children eventually buying and apartment on Tremont Ave. in the Bronx. Harry was always intuitively handy and enjoyed tinkering and fixing things in the apartment building including plumbing, painting, and plastering and rewiring everything from lamps to telephones.

Harry was an athlete from an early age. A gymnast, a swimmer, diver, fencer, and pole vaulter. Always interested in all water sports he was an avid canoer, kayaker, sailor (He was once a grinder on a yacht in a regatta.) a windsurfer, exhibition diver and captain of his swimming team. Sophomore year his coach asked him what he was doing for the summer and told him about Surprise Lake Camp. That was the beginning of his 71-year career at camp. The waterfront was always his baby. He researched all kinds of floating dock formations. He took his tank and scuba gear to survey the lake and designed 3 floating docks for Junior side, Senior side and Girls Side that became Teen Side. Harry referred to himself as “The Bosses Assistant” eventually becoming the Administrative Director of Surprise Lake Camp.

Harry went to City College to study engineering and joined the ROTC where he jumped out of perfectly good airplanes in the paratroopers, and printed leaflets and propaganda in the psycological warfare department and blew stuff up.

He was an exhibition diver at The NY Athletic Club doing his version of “Don’t ask don’t tell”. The club did not allow Jews. They didn’t ask. He didn’t tell.

Harry’s engineering career was cut short by a very rare eye disorder that caused migraine headaches when he read for long periods of time. His condition was written up in medical journals. He changed careers, and received a Master’s Degree in education and worked for the Board of Education in New York City as an industrial arts teacher giving him the summers off to work at camp.

He met the love of his life doing a favor for a friend.

On their 2nd date Harry asked Bobbi to marry him.

They were married December 26, 1959. Harry told Bobbi he loved her every day of their almost 63-year marriage and that he would marry her all over again. He always introduced her as “His Sweetheart, Bobbi”.

Three years after they were married, they had their first daughter, Joan and 3 years later their 2nd daughter Melissa. These girls were his pride and joy.

Harry Vogel was a kind, honest, hardworking man who would never ask anyone to do anything he wasn’t willing to do himself. He lived life on his own terms. He was aware of his blessings and grateful for the love of his wife and family. He was a hard worker who rarely worked a day in his life because he always made his work fun. He had many sayings or “Harryisms”.

“If it takes so little to make someone happy, then why not do it?”

“They can’t make it tough enough, but they can sure try.”

“When smoke goes up the mountain, the rain comes down like a fountain.”

“Put a Bowline on it, Melvin!”

“Count to 10.”

And many more…

He touched thousands of lives and saved hundreds.

He said there was a reason he was saved from Hitler’s ovens, and it was necessary for him to make his life worthwhile. He did that everyday by making people smile, by being an example of how to live your best life and by finding the fun in even the most mundane chores.

People are amazed at what he did and how he got things done especially into his 70’s and 80’s. He had strength and fortitude and would keep practicing and doing whatever the task until he got it right. If you asked him how he did it, how he is so amazing? He would say, “I’m just Harry”.

Funeral services for Harry will be held Monday, December 26, 2022, 1:00 PM at Hellman Memorial Chapels, 15 State Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977. Interment will take place immediately following services at Gates of Zion Cemetery, 670 Saddle River Road, Airmont, NY 10952.

Please click on the link below to view the Webcasting for Funeral Services.

https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/82616

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted with Hellman Memorial Chapels, 15 State Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977 (845) 356-8600 Jewish Funeral Directors

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hellmanmemorial.com for the Vogel family.