Ed was born on July 24, 1939, to Rose and Irving Gross in Glen Ridge, NJ. After his father’s service during World War II, Ed’s sister Marian was born, and the family settled in Verona, NJ. After Ed graduated from Verona High School in 1957, he went on to major in American Studies at George Washington University and then earned his JD from Dickinson School of Law. He also earned his Master of Laws in Taxation from NYU. Ed spent his professional life practicing tax, real estate, and estate planning and administration law in New Jersey. He also served on the board of Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris Counties.
In 1969, Ed married Barbara Starr. They went on to have two children, Fred and Judy, and four grandchildren, Ari, Gem, Axel, and Asher. Ed and Barbara enjoyed travel, theater, music, many years in a Great Books group, and more than 44 years of membership of Temple Emanu-El of Livingston and Temple Sinai of Summit. They sang in the temple choir, participated in weekly torah study, and Ed served on the temple’s Board of Trustees. They delighted most in spending time with family and friends, including Ed's sister Marian Bickel, her late husband Al, and Ed's nephews Scott and Jon and their families. Barbara and Ed’s many wonderful friends describe Ed as a “gentle giant” with a wonderful sense of humor, a deep intellect, and a beautiful singing voice.
Services will be held at Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Funeral Chapel, 68 Old Short Hills Rd, Livingston at 11am on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Donations in Ed’s memory may be made to the following organizations: Temple Sinai of Summit, NJ; Villa Marie Claire Hospice in Saddle River, NJ; Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
