How does one sum up the life of an extraordinary man - you merely speak from the heart and hope that all who read this will somehow know and love him as we did - A man for all seasons whose top priority all his life was his family.

Dad was born in the Bronx, almost 103 years ago. He and his sisters lost their beloved mother when they were relatively young. Their father, a tailor by trade, taught Dad the business and he helped him by pressing garments and delivering them after school. After finishing grade school, he enrolled at NYU taking writing and literature classes. Early on he would find sports to be his passion - he was a gifted baseball player - pitching was his strong suit. He was recruited by several teams in the early years and even earned extra money playing. He would share his earnings with his father. The Brooklyn Dodger organization recruited him for their Farm System and he was in line to be called up, but decided that he really didn't want a life centered around travel. He preferred the thought that one day he would have a family of his own; and that was his ultimate goal. And so a storied baseball career came to an end.

He secured a job at Howard Clothes and eventually met and married the love of his life, our Mother Ella. They lived in Forest Hills on Booth Street and they were blessed to have a son, my brother Steve. As life often does, things changed course when Dad was recruited into the Army. Fortunately, he never saw action, but again played baseball and enjoyed a very safe existence. He was stationed in California for a time, but when our grandfather passed away he was sent home and his Army career ended and life began again.

It was then, that I came along - they already had the Prince and now the "Girl" was on the scene too. We moved to Long Island - family members were astounded that we were moving to the wilderness, but it absolutely turned out great. Our home in one of the early Levitt Communities, the Roslyn Country Club, turned out to be the best move they could have made. To this day our house is still there and Steve and Deirdre live in it. We thrived in that community and went on family trips to Cooperstown - Baseball Hall of Fame and to the Catskills as well. Life was good for all of us. Dad even became a real bonafide health nut, as we lovingly referred to him. He contracted Gout and decided to completely change his life - He began his daily regimen of vitamins - taking all of them right up until the end. He decided that eating healthy was definitely the way to a long life and convinced mom that she needed to accept his new passion and she even started to bake what we lovingly called "Dirt Brownies" or Carob Brownies - he loved them - all of us "not so much". Later in life, I realized that the vitamins he was taking were certainly the key to the "Fountain of Youth" that he was experiencing and Stuart and I take every one of those vitamins too. Now even Robyn and Julie and their families take daily doses of Vitamins in the hopes that what we saw in him will rub off on all of us too.

As Life continued, he found a new passion - golf - everyone took up the sport, even me. Eventually we joined our first Golf Club - Harbor Hills. We would take the long drive out to the club and all was right with the world. Eventually we moved to a club closer to the house, Brentwood. Dad, Mom and Steve played all the time and won many tournaments and even I won my one and only trophy at that club. Eventually we changed clubs again and landed at Cedarbrook - Club Championships abounded for both Dad and Steve. And just as Dad had years before, Steve too was looked at by the Dodger Organization - sports were always a part of our lives.

Eventually Dad and Mom decided to invest in a second home in Florida at Palm Aire and Golf abounded there too. They would spend time there in the winter and when they were not using it Stuart and I would vacation there with our girls, Robyn and Julie. Great memories were associated with the Condo. There were pictures of family on every wall and cabinet, including the refrigerator.

During his career at Howard and Ripley Clothes, he was known for his impeccable style - even tying his tie in a very distinctive manner - not the Windsor knot, but just looping it over and becoming quite the trend setter. In his position as Vice President, he was the go to guy for everyone. But eventually things changed - Unions came into the picture and the company went by the way side. He was forced into early retirement. Mom realized that he was too young to stop working. Dad secured an interview at Olsten and Company and a new career began. He thrived there and became a mentor to many of the much younger staff - they sought out his advice and he freely gave it.

Life was good. But again Life was changing. Mom passed away in 1996 and after a year Dad decided that Florida would be a good permanent home for him. And that is how he came to reside there - thriving and living on his own until just a few months ago - to everyone's amazement. Eventually his golf playing days came to an end, but his love of the sport, as well as his love for baseball continued. He became an avid television watcher and enjoyed countess hours of joy sitting and watching and cheering on his teams and favorite golfers. His second passion was for the news, especially the financial news, which filled his day's right up until the end.

We all enjoyed his expertise - whether it was discussed in his "nightly phone calls" at exactly 9:00 pm or in later years precisely at 8:00 pm to Stuart and I, and at 10:00 pm to Steve and Deirdre. In addition, my day rarely started without my everyday morning calls that I made to him. The phone was his lifeline to keep up with his all important family. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than sharing stories of his life with his great-granddaughters, Ella and Ava and listening to them share their love of dancing. He was so honored to have both great grandsons, Braden and Gavin, wearing his number "13" on their baseball uniforms. He loved to show them how to hold the baseball, talk through lessons about strong golf swings, and share his passion for sports.

My most vivid memories are all centered around this very handsome, caring, generous man who's legacy will surely be his loving family - Dad, Grandpa, and Poppy - we will miss you from this day forward - we hold you in our hearts and minds and know that you are playing 18 on the greatest course ever and reveling in now being reunited with the love of your life. All who met you fell in love with you and your incredible spirit, even throughout these recent difficult days your strong spirit brought amazement to everyone around you. And as we all said to one another "He did it His Way!" We love you and always will!