Lonny Paul Zarowitz, 73, of Las Vegas, NV passed away on March 13th, 2024. Lonny was born in New York City on June 8, 1950, but lived most of his childhood in Miami Beach, FL. He moved to Las Vegas with his family in 1963 and aside from attending high school in Steamboat Springs, CO and college at the University of Denver, was a Las Vegas resident ever since.
Lonny had a career in gaming that spanned more than 50 years starting with a slot route he operated in the early 1970s. He opened the Red Garter Casino on Fremont Street in 1972, which he later sold to the Fremont Hotel. In 1979, he bought a share of the El Cortez Hotel & Casino where he worked as an executive until retiring in 1990. He retained his ownership interest for the rest of his life, making him the third longest-tenured owner in El Cortez history.
Lonny will be remembered for his incredibly quick wit and one-of-a-kind sense of humor. He could do complex mental math or fire off hilarious one-liners with equally amazing speed. He was extremely generous in life and in death, donating regularly to many worthy charities and leaving a large portion of his estate to causes close to his heart including animal rescue, medical research and human rights.
His friends and family will also remember his fierce determination to stand up for what was right. He never backed down from a fight, especially when defending someone he cared about. He was an avid guitar and pool player and was a prolific collector of fine guitars and custom pool cues.
He is preceded in death by his mother Gertrude Appleton Zarowitz and father Jerry Zarowitz, one of the original owners and founding casino manager of Caesars Palace. He is survived by his son (Jeremy), daughter-in-law (Yina), and two grandchildren (Audrey and Dash). Services will be held next month in Las Vegas.
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