A professional musician who took great joy in entertaining others, Jay appeared regularly with his band The Bayou River Band on the Michigan Princess Riverboat and practiced law in Mid-Michigan for over 50 years.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Jay graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School in 1962 and from Pace College in Manhattan in 1967. After graduation, Jay taught middle school in Patterson, New Jersey before moving to Cleveland, Ohio for law school. In 1971 he graduated from Cleveland State University Marshall College of Law and began his law career. Jay soon moved to Michigan, settling in Leslie and then Mason where he raised two children, Katie and Dan. Jay served as Director of the Ingham County Office of Legal Aid from 1977 to 1981 before moving into private law practice in Mason. While practicing law, Jay also taught at the Michigan State College of Business from 1982 to 1988. Jay was proud to call Michigan home and taught his kids how to ride horses and instilled in them his love for music of all types. A kind-hearted person, Jay was always willing to help those in need of legal advice and of course loved playing guitar, banjo and bass fiddle and sharing his love of music with others.
Jay’s love for guitar began at the age of 13 in 1958, when his father bought him a guitar from a small music shop in Brooklyn. Jay would go on to study with well-known Brooklyn jazz guitarist Rector Bailey and ultimately play professionally as a teenager and college student with his best friend and drummer Arnie Ernst. The music gigs took them all around New York City and the Catskill Mountains playing jazz professionally and working with jazz and entertainment greats.
In 1999, Jay went on a date with Carole Colburn, whom he would soon marry and spend 23 wonderful years. Jay was a Michigan State Spartan fan through and through and he and Carole were season ticket holders since 2006 to MSU Women’s Basketball and rarely missed a game. They also enjoyed cheering on the Detroit Tigers and just spending time together and with family, taking 3 mile walks around the Village daily, working in the yard, and enjoying a meal out for a Friday date night.
In 1999, Jay began the Bayou River Band, which would play throughout the state of Michigan over the next 23 years. The band appeared regularly on the Michigan Princess Riverboat, at retirement homes and private gatherings and entertained thousands over the years with New Orleans jazz music.
In 2006 Jay was elected to the Dansville Village Council, where he served as a Village Trustee through 2020.
Above all, Jay was a dedicated husband and father; grandfather, brother, cousin, colleague and friend. His stories and personality were legendary. He was witty and had a great sense of humor. Moreover, he was a kind, gentle, patient soul who adored his wife Carole, children and grandchildren and would do anything for them.
Jay is survived by his loving wife Carole Colburn of Dansville; daughter Katie Mitzner of Orlando, and son Dan (Julie) Mitzner of San Diego; step-children Soren (Lauren) Sorensen of Mt. Pleasant, Karah Sorensen of Lansing, and Kristian (Jac) Bullen of Leslie; grand-children Jocelyn and Luc Dagenais, Emily and Reese Mitzner, Henry and Stella Sorensen, and Ashlynne and Logan Bullen; siblings Richard (Lisa) Mitzner and Alan (Andi) Mitzner and best friend Arnie (Ronnie) Ernst. He also leaves behind his dear cousins, nephews, nieces and good friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Murray and Jeanette Mitzner.
A celebration of life will be held dockside aboard the Michigan Princess Riverboat, Grand River Park, 3001 W Main St, Lansing, MI 48917 on Sunday, June 26 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM with a cruise for family and close friends from 4:00 PM to 5:00PM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Foundation Inc. or the MSU College of Music.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grbdmason.com for the Mitzner family.
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