Kenneth Barry Schwartz

Kenneth Barry Schwartz, 65, of Brookline, died on Thursday, surrounded by his family. The cause of death was esophageal cancer. Born and raised in Passaic, New Jersey, Ken attended the University of Rhode Island and earned a doctorate in accounting and finance at Syracuse University. Holding positions at Boston University and Boston College, he taught thousands of students over his 40-year career. Known as a great teacher, Ken was equally known for his research. He published ground-breaking articles on auditor changes and bankruptcy. When chairman of the Accounting Department at BC, he helped build the department into a research powerhouse. Ken is perhaps best remembered for his devotion to his family—his daughters Aly and Karly, grandson Matty, and wife Julia. Family was always paramount: He often described an enchanted childhood with his parents and sister Judy growing up next to a park and going on trips to the Caribbean at a time when few people did. Ken often spoke of himself as a citizen of the world, whether it was Paris, Sydney, or Anguilla. Wherever he went, he liked nothing more than talking to people and finding out about their lives. His friends came from all walks of life. But he was also a homebody who liked nothing more than to spend an afternoon tending to his plants, listening to reggae, and enjoying dinner at home. Ken leaves his wife, Julia Heskel; his children, Alyson and her husband, Michael of New York; Karly and her husband Elliot of Brookline; and his sister Judith Rosenthal and her husband Ronald Rosenthal of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and his grandson, Matthew. Funeral services will be held at the Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, 1668 Beacon Street, Brookline on Sunday, September 6, 2015 at 2:30 pm. Interment will follow at the Or Emet Cemetery off Baker St in West Roxbury. Shiva will be observed at his late residence on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Schwartz Fund for Esophageal Cancer Research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute at www.dana-farber.org