Harold Haber was born on July 14, 1927 in Niagara Falls, New York. The son of a furrier, he graduated from Niagara Falls High School and then Syracuse University where he earned in 1949 a Bachelor’s degree in Business. His college career was interrupted by a year-long stint in the Army. Subsequently, he married his college sweetheart, Gladys Eisen, from New Jersey, the cousin of a Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity brother. The couple celebrated their 67th anniversary this past June. Following their marriage, Harold and his bride settled in Niagara Falls where they raised their family and created Homemakers, a fabric and decorating store that for 40 years served the community with custom-made draperies and bedspreads. The family was active in the community and at Temple Beth Israel, the synagogue in which Harold had grown up and his parents had been founding members. He also began his lifelong participation in service organizations, including Kiwanis and Masons; until very recently, he continued to collect and sort eyeglasses to be donated to the needy for a Lions Club in Greensboro.
Never one to sit still, when health problems caused him to slow down physically, Gladys encouraged Harold to take up needlepoint, and at the age of 59, he taught himself the art of Japanese Bunka (punch-point).
Over the years, he expanded his needlepoint repertoire to create the kinds of Bunka and stitched crewel pieces that now decorate the walls of his and his family’s homes, and are currently on display at Well-Spring’s Health Center—and which have earned him several first and second place awards in various regional and state competitions.
Retirement to Fort Myers, Florida in 1989 provided Harold the opportunity not only to create needlework and learn glass staining and other crafts, but also to learn to play tennis, volunteer at the local hospital and Jewish Family Services, and to become active in Lions Club and an organization called Wake Up America that collected food to be distributed to families in need.
Harold and Gladys relocated to Greensboro in 2007 to be nearer their children, living first at Abbotswood and then moving to Well-Spring in June of 2013. Here, he continued to pursue his loves of helping and sharing with others his beautiful needlepoint, notecards, pastel flower drawing, beadwork, and other crafts.
Harold’s good-natured sense of humor, generous spirit, boundless optimism, stubborn self-determination, and fierce family loyalty have earned him the respect and affection of everyone he has encountered over the years. He leaves to family, friends and caregivers alike, the example of a life well lived, and an ongoing legacy of beauty and emotional tenacity that will forever be cherished.
Harold will be deeply missed not only by the scores of people he has touched over the years, including his wonderful caregivers at Wellspring and homecare agency, Options for Senior America, but mostly, by his beloved wife, Gladys, and local family: son, David Haber; daughter, Dr. Michele Haber; son-in-law, Dr. Martin Friedman; and granddaughter, Hannah Friedman; as well as his devoted sister, Yetta Farber, of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and multiple nieces and nephews.
Graveside burial services conducted jointly by Rabbis Joshua Ben-Gideon and Andy Koren of Beth David Synagogue and Temple Emanuel, respectively, were held Thursday at the Greensboro Hebrew Cemetery.
An additional Jewish service will be on Monday, October 2, 5:45 PM at the home of his daughter, and a final Memorial/Celebration of a Life Service will be held at the Well-Spring Assisted Living Auditorium on Tuesday, October 3 at 3:30 PM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory are encouraged to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) and the Greensboro Jewish Federation.
Online condolences may be made throughwww.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.11.0