First, on behalf of the family, I want to thank you, Rabbi Bernstein for leading this memorial service. 

Second, before I begin … I want to set the record straight.  Robin – just so you know, it took a strong person to read the “simple son” passages at Passover.  All was good.  Amy – no matter what twinkle you may have or what you may think, I was the favorite.  There was no way a UCLA Bruin could be considered a favorite to a USC Trojan!

Now – I want to thank everyone for coming.  We have family and friends from San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago and Florida … hopefully I’m not missing anyone here today.  I want this to be a tribute of life - and on behalf of our family, I can’t thank everyone enough for being here for Dad and for supporting us. 

While I’ve unfortunately been to too many funerals I’ve never really focused on a personal level of the inevitable rotation as what I now have in front of me.  These are the hardest words to write … the hardest words I have ever written.  There is no natural place to begin … and while there is now an ending of Dad’s life we are preserving Dad’s memories in our hearts and souls.  I want everyone to know that while we are in pain we need to celebrate his life with positive memories – we can only do that with the love and support of family, friends and community and we thank you for being part of that.

So - where to begin … I don’t really know. 

Dad, you’ve had a long and fulfilling life.  You’ve lived through the Depression in the 30s and World War II in the 40s.  You’ve witnessed the technology revolution and have generally embraced its achievements … even when you call the computer a “machine” and sometimes refer to the little people inside!  You’ve seen people go into space and land on the moon.  You’ve seen air travel become the norm … especially with me commuting across the country for a few days at a time.  You’ve seen medical achievements that were once unheard of.  You were truly part of the greatest generation.  You’ve enjoyed a wonderful, or as Mom likes to say, a SENSATIONAL, marriage for over 66 years!  Wow – not too many can say that.  As I think about it … I guess that Shari and I at only 33 years strong are still newlyweds!  You’ve been the patriarch over 3 children and 2 grandchildren all of whom have succeeded in life through gaining respect in their communities.  You and Mom have led the family in many ways … perhaps the most important has been as teachers to us all to have strong sound and moral characters.  You’ve lived a rich life of over 95 years with family, friends and community – first in and from New Jersey and since 1969 in and from San Diego.

Memories … this is the hard part to write – not because there aren’t any but because it touches the finality of not being able to share them and laugh about them with you. 

You had stories of how USC recruited and offered you a scholarship to participate in their swim program.  You resisted until they accepted your older brother Ralph to also attend on a scholarship.  Imagine this … 75 years ago a Jewish kid from Elizabeth NJ (not exactly known for generating world class swimmers) being asked to come to Southern California – the swim capital of the world!  Where was that again?  This was 2,500 miles away by car … plenty of air conditioning if you rolled down the windows…

After college, you joined the Army as World War II carried on and served in the South Pacific in the early 40s.  You met Mom at a dance after the war which led to you and Mom getting married in 1950.  Going through some of the pictures the last couple of days, you two were really hip and quite the attractive couple.  Still even to the end.

You built a pretty successful business, ELRO Supply, in New Jersey which supported us all. Remember how you “allowed” me to learn to drive, albeit a forklift, at the ripe age of 10 … plus or minus.  Just so you know, Mom for sure knew!  A few mishaps here and there but the employees were like family and they all took care of me as I worked in the warehouse over the years. Remember when I literally “dropped” in your office in the middle of meeting after stepping between the ceiling rafters when unloading insulation and fell through landing fortunately unhurt next to your desk?

Remember when you brought home the T’Bird, now “Irv’s Bird” (or is it Irv’s Broad).  Remember when I fell out of the trunk?  Remember when the family – all five of us – would load up in the T’Bird, a two-seater, and drive to the club – top down and all for a day of golf and pool activities. I don’t think the rules would allow this today.  Remember our first contract – me as buyer and you as seller – when you agreed to sell the Bird to me in the future for $10 … probably never thought you would still own the Bird let alone that I would eventually ask you to perform – but we transacted on my 50th a number of years ago.  Dad, I still have the “Bird” and look forward to taking it out for weekend drives again.

Remember allowing me to sip Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer in the park after your work … I can only remember by the pictures as I was only around 2!

Remember when we would go to our Shul, the Elmora Hebrew Center – the one Pop built, in Elizabeth and you would take me out for the Kiddush Club … little did you know that that was my early learnings to love scotch!

Remember when we would go to Coney Island?  Oh … how vacations and trips have changed…

Remember when we went to the circus and all its spectacles … this at Madison Square Garden in NY – the original garden.

Remember when we used to go to Yankee baseball games … Mickey Mantle and all the famous players … we always had a pillar to look around but it was fun.

Remember when we used to go to Mets baseball games – Oh Boy … Casey’s Mets were so terrible at times … but fun to watch?

Remember when we used to go to Giants and Jets football games – winter snows and all?

Remember when we used to go to Knicks basketball games? Remember when they won the championship?

Remember when we went to the Spectrum in Philadelphia to watch the 76’ers against the (hated) Celtics?

Remember when we went to the US Open at Baltusrol in NJ and met Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and other great players?

Remember when we went to see a Super Bowl Game?  How cool was it to see the stealth bombers fly overhead?

Remember my Bar Mitzvah?  How cool was it that my Torah portion, L’ech L’echa, was the same as yours and your father’s?  Eventually Alana too had the same portion.

Remember the snow storms in Elizabeth New Jersey and how we built our forts in the 15-foot-high piles of snow the city always so graciously plowed in front of our house.

I remember you coming to watch my basketball games – when I played for Thomas Jefferson High School in New Jersey and later on for the Point Loma High School team. I remember you coming to see a few college games as well.

Remember our golfing days?  Oh - we had so much fun together. We played in the east and in the west. 

Remember our road trip across country when I moved back to DC and how we played golf along the way at Pinehurst, Augusta, Kiawah Island and other famous golf courses. 

Remember your golfing foursome with Jack, Milt and Lou … You were the “baby” in the group by several years.  For over 30 years’ you guys played together – everyone at the club knew of you and your group … oh what a special group it was and I remember joining many times making it the only allowed group of FIVE on the course. You had special privileges at the club in recognition of your young age.

Remember you played golf all over the world … doubt you ever imagined that from our days in New Jersey!

Remember all the Padres baseball and Chargers football games you went to with Amy?

Remember the Lakers games we went to in LA.

Remember how you loved your “sandwiches” at the games … of course that’s what you told Mom as opposed to the hot dogs that you really had – Mom knew, but then again, the mustard was always a giveaway.

Remember when TV was just starting and how Sunday nights used to be family TV nights with the Wonderful World of Disney and the Ed Sullivan Show.  Remember meeting Ed Sullivan in beautiful Hoboken – one of Sinatra’s hangouts?  You should know that Hoboken is now totally revitalized from the old days … you wouldn’t recognize it.

Remember how we used to talk about the stock market, the economy and history… at times you were your own encyclopedia … first-hand knowledge having lived through Presidents – good and bad – for almost a century!

Remember our wedding and how we all danced and partied.

Remember the births of your granddaughters.

Remember Alana’s graduation from Penn and how we all huddled in made-up raincoats in the downpours they said never happen.

Remember Samantha’s graduation from USC … your alma mater and how cool it was to be back after 75 years!  Fight on USC!

Dad – it’s been an incredible journey together. As a father, teacher and confidant.  You’ve been my hero and my guide through life.  It’s not over – not sure where we’re going but we’ll get there together.

Despite failing health over the recent past, we will remember all of the good times.

So Dad – it’s not goodbye … perhaps as Mom now says – SURFS UP … TOO-DU-LOO. 

We know you’re there looking at us from above – still watching over us.  We know that you’re here in our hearts looking at us from within.

I love you, we all love you and miss you.  And Dad … I will still call you as often as possible!