Though Jack Rosenberg “professed not to be a practicing Jew, … he was dedicated to tzedakah,” said Lucy Rosenberg, his wife of 20 years.
“He was an individual who wanted to leave the world a better place than he found it,” she said.
Jack Rosenberg died on Jan. 11 from complications from prostate cancer. He was 84.
A businessman and philanthropist, Rosenberg had a special interest in causes that would lead to improvement in the community.
In 1981, Rosenberg set up the first of many funds with the Jewish Community Foundation, the endowment development program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, according to Bert Bilsky, JCF’s executive. One of these was the Community Grant and Loan Fund.
One of the stipulations for the fund was that any person who received a grant should repay if they could with no interest.
“This was his way of providing a sense of dignity to the recipient,” said Bilsky, who facilitated the memorial gathering on Thursday, Jan. 13.
“Jack provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in both grants and loans and touched countless lives in the process,” Bilsky added.
His most recent project was the The Opportunity Fund, which he began in 2001. For it, Rosenberg donated funds through the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp., an organization that provides loans to small start-up businesses.
“He’s done so much,” said Lucy. “He had an impact on a broad spectrum of people.” But at the same time, she quoted one of her sons: “He was a guy who was in your face and made you think.”
Born in Milwaukee, he graduated from Riverside High School, and attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he earned a degree in mathematics.
In 1941, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Afterwards he worked in Hollywood before returning to Milwaukee to help run his family’s business, Lavo Soap Co.
Later Rosenberg was involved in many other business ventures, including owning the Madison Inn Hotel, developing the Fox Hills condominium complex in Fox Point, and owning the Wisconsin franchise for TeleCheck, which he sold in 1995.
He was involved with several non-profit organizations, including the Grand Avenue Club and the COA Youth & Family Center, for both of which he served as a board member.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by son John of Boca Raton, Fla.; stepsons Daniel (Paula) Glickich of Bronx, N.Y., Peter (Julie) Glickich of Short Hills, N.J., and Barry (Katherine) of Warrenville, Ill.; stepdaughters Anne (Steven) Stanek of Madison and Lynn (Paul) Cohen of Los Angeles; 14 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
He is further survived by sisters Polly Daeger of Milwaukee and Ruth Andres of Dallas, Tex.
Loading ...