Obituary
Melvin Gerald Rosenberg, born July 23, 1926, was a first generation American born to Jack (1900-1982) and Esther (1904-1986), first cousins who emigrated from the Warsaw, Poland, region in 1920 and 1910, respectively. The family lived off 47th Street in Chicago and later moved to the west side and then to Peterson Park in 1951. His sister Selena was born in 1929, followed by Marilyn in 1934 (died 2017), and Sidney in 1939.
He graduated from Marshall High School in Chicago in 1945. He studied violin and he played in the Marshall orchestra. He was always proud of the orchestra’s achievements, especially when those students played Tchaikovsky’s difficult Fourth Symphony in a competition.
Mel met his wife of 75 years, Shirlee (Jacobson), in high school. After graduation, he served and saw action in the US Army on the islands of Luzon and Mindoro in the Philippines. After WWII, he was stationed in El Paso, Texas, and married in Chicago April 2, 1946, while on leave. Their first child (Don) was born in March, 1947, and their second (Alan, 1948-2002) in March, 1948, both in Chicago. Their third child (Lauren, 1962-2011) was born in Chicago in 1962.
After his honorable discharge from the service, he was a partner in a grocery store on Roosevelt Road and Independence Blvd. Then he worked for Hillmans, a grocery chain. Later, he joined the family business, Archer Fish Mart, near Archer Avenue and Kedzie, purveyors of top-quality seafood products. He continued there until he sold the business and retired in 1992. In the window, the store had a large neon sign of a fish and the words Archer Fish Mart. That old sign was too fragile to move across town. Many customers were fond of Mel and the family; so, a nearby customer offered to take and store that neon sign. He also had some political families as customers, and they were able and willing to help through some of life’s difficulties.
After their marriage, Melvin and Shirlee lived on Grenshaw Avenue off Independence, and they moved to east Rogers Park on Touhy Avenue near Sheridan in 1954. They moved to Springfield Avenue in Peterson Park from 1958 to 1965, when they moved to Jerome Avenue in West Rogers Park. Their last move was to Northbrook in 1991. Around the corner on Jerome was Ada’s Deli. He enjoyed working there on Sunday mornings, helping out on the busiest day of the week.
Mel was athletic. He maintained a high average score in bowling and low average score in golf. He played golf until age 90.
Their second child, Alan, was born with many challenges that compromised his abilities. Working to meet Alan’s needs, they kept him at home until he was 20. Mel and Shirlee were constant visitors to his later residence at Dwight Developmental Center, in Dwight, Illinois, where they continued to visit and participate in parent groups for years after his death. He was proud to be able to go to Dwight to man the barbeque on the one day a year that thousands came to town for Harvest Day. He did that until late in life.
For two decades, until it became too difficult to travel, Mel and Shirlee wintered in Delray Beach. Often, family members traveled there to visit, and he missed being in Chicago with family.
Another tidbit has to do with the unusual family Thanksgiving celebration. For about 30 years, about 55-65, many from other parts of the USA, gather on Thanksgiving at the Highland Park Community Center. The dinner officially began with some speeches of thanks from two or three of the relatives. Then, he kicked it off with a robust HaMotzi and cutting the giant challah we have for the holiday. He performed this ritual with his usual full voice on November 25, just three weeks before his death.
His life exemplifies core values – work hard, keep on working without giving up, do what is necessary, live up to what you are called upon to do, show up when you are needed, strength through adversity, and devotion to family. He will also be remembered for his humor. He stayed current on world events. Extraverted by nature, he had the ability to relate to multiple generations. He was beloved by the generations before him and by the three generations of descendants and extended family that followed. Ten to twelve family members visited him every one of his final days, many staying for hours, and all have been moved by his strength, his importance to them, and their importance to him.
Melvin Rosenberg, age 95, of Northbrook, formerly of Chicago. Beloved husband for 75 years of Shirlee Rosenberg; loving father of Don (Roberta) Rosenberg, the late Alan Rosenberg, and the late Lauren (Steve Winokur) Rosenberg Natkin Winokur; cherished grandfather of Noah (Donna Zulman) Rosenberg, Eli (Becky Sebert) Rosenberg, Janna (fiancé Chris Wiese) Natkin, and Austin (Jamie) Natkin; proud great-grandfather of Ezra, Sonia, and Gabriel Rosenberg; dear brother of Selena (late Boris) Pestine, the late Marilyn (late Howard) Horwitz, and Sidney (late Natalie) Rosenberg; devoted son of the late Jack and the late Esther Rosenberg; loved by many relatives and friends. Service Monday, 12pm, at The Chapel, 195 N Buffalo Grove Rd, Buffalo Grove (1 Blk N. of Lake Cook Rd). Interment Shalom Memorial Park. The service will be livestreamed at www.goldmanfuneralgroup.com. Under Recent Services, click onto Melvin’s photograph and scroll down to Service Details for the link. In lieu of flowers, contributions to AMVETS, www.amvets.org, or to the Colon Cancer Coalition, www.coloncancercoalition.org. Shiva Info: The Goldman Funeral Group (847) 478-1600 www.goldmanfuneralgroup.com
Arrangements by Goldman Funeral Group. www.goldmanfuneralgroup.com