Maddie’s Grand Uncle Abe passed away this morning. He was 97 years old.

As a boy living in the Bronx Abe survived polio and the Spanish Influenza. At City College, he was president of the Young Communist’s League but he broke with them when Stalin made his non-aggression pact with Hitler. During World War II he fought overseas and his best friend in the Army was Timothy Leary. He became a pioneer in social work and a professor at Adelphi and Stonybrook Universities on Long Island. He and his wife Nettie lived in Jericho and raised two beautiful daughters. They had a grandson and a granddaughter whom they loved with all their hearts. Nettie passed away fifteen years ago, after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Abe’s favorite drink was a vodka gimlet. His favorite saying was, “We start each day two drinks under par.” His favorite joke dates back to the 1930s but that never stopped him from telling it. It goes like this: “Hey, did you hear about the explosion in the boarding house?? Roomers were flying!” He often made speeches and toasts and they pretty much all ended this way: “May the Force be with you– and don’t let the bastards get you down!”

This past year, Abe and his girlfriend Anita (she’s only 93) co-edited a journal, the subject of which was humor and aging. They wrote the introductory essay together.

A few months ago, Abe wasn’t feeling well so he had to spend a few days in the hospital. When he was released, he declared that he was going to take up the piano– an instrument he hadn’t played in many years. A few weeks later he invited his friends and family over for a recital. Just last week, he was starting to learn how to play Tea for Two.

He was an amazing man.

On the occasion of his 90th birthday, Abe’s daughters put together a biography of his life’s journey to that point.

Abe’s Journey Scans

When Maddie was six weeks old, she visited Abe’s apartment and got to meet him in person…