Howard Kiesel

Business and Jewish Community Leader,

Author, Musician, NJNG Veteran,

And World Traveler

Recipient of 2015 Lasting Impressions Award

From Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey

Howard Kiesel of Short Hills passed away on Sunday, June 11, 2017 at age 89. He was born to Frances and Paul Kiesel at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark on May 24, 1928. He grew up in Hillside and was graduated from Hillside High School in 1945. He attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. and was graduated as a commercial artist from Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts.

He began his career in 1949 at Street and Smith Publications as an assistant art director and then joined Jay Victor & Associates advertising agency in Newark, as an Account Executive, until 1960 when he joined Keyes Martin & Co. in Springfield. He remained there until his retirement in 1982, having risen to the post of executive vice president, COO. While at KM he directed the advertising and marketing projects for builders and developers throughout New Jersey, Florida, Georgia and Texas, including major publically-held firms such as DCA Corp, Miami; Kaufman & Broad Homes, Los Angeles; K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Red Bank; Berg Enterprises, Iselin; Ramar Cos., Atlanta; and Cali Associates, Cranford. For a period of time he supervised the marketing and advertising programs for New Jersey State departments including the State Lottery, Department of Tourism, Department of Economic Development, and The Economic Development Authority (EDA). For a time he also directed the advertising for ShopRite Supermarkets, Elizabeth.

After retirement Howard joined The Boyle Company in Union as vice president where he managed and negotiated the sale of commercial properties throughout North and Central New Jersey. He also became vice-president of Boyle Hotels and a partner in the Best Western Morristown Inn.

Howard’s community activities began in 1955 when he joined the Springfield First Aid Squad where he served for 10 years. From 1965 to 1968 he served as president of Temple Sha’arey Shalom in Springfield. From 1967 to 1970 he served as Springfield co-chairman of both United Jewish Appeal and Israel Bonds. He also served on the Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation and as president of the Metropolitan Conference on Soviet Jewry. From 1986 to 1996 he became associated with Newark Beth Israel Medical Center where he served as a member of its Board of Trustees, Lay/Medical Committee, Long-range Planning Committee and chaired its Marketing/Advertising/Public Relations Committees. After NBIMC was sold to Saint Barnabas Healthcare System in 1996 he served as a board member of NJ Healthcare Foundation. In that year he also joined the board of trustees of the Jewish Historical Society of MetroWest and, in 2000, was elected as its Secretary. In 2008 he was elected president and served in that post for 4 years. In 2015 he was honored by the Society receiving its Last Impressions Award for outstanding leadership in the Jewish community. He also served on the board of trustees of Hebrew Free Loan Association where he rose to the post of vice president.

In 2012, he authored a book of memoirs titled, “A Kid From Hillside”, published by a division of Amazon.com, recounting 40 years of his life as an artist, musician, business and community leader and family devotee.

Howard was a professional musician, starting in Hillside high school where he formed his own band and continuing through 6 summers playing in hotels in the Catskills and Mt. Freedom, N.J. He spent 7 years with the NJ National Guard 50th Armored Division Band, and had a trio called “The Golden Boys”, playing once-a-week for 10 years, ending in 2011.

He and his beloved wife, Audree, loved to travel. They drove cross-country 4 times visiting every state in the USA, except two. They cruised to Alaska and visited Hawaii 3 times. They travelled to 34 countries in 6 continents either by air or ship; spent a total of 151 days on the ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, stopping at 42 different ports in North and South America, Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe; travelled on 16 cruises on 5 different cruise lines; and loved vacationing in Mexico whenever possible.

Howard is survived by his adored wife of 65 years, Audree (Hochner); children, Pamela Friedman and her husband, Richard, of Springfield; Linda Kiesel Zabludovsky and her husband, Shraga, of Springfield, and Paul Kiesel and his wife, Dana of Beverly Hills; and nine grandchildren, Allison Eberenz (Bryan), Jessica Balaban (Jared), Jonathan Friedman; Shira, David (Amy), Nurit and Liat Zabludovsky; and Joshua and Lauren Kiesel. He also leaves three great-granddaughters, Molly and Clare Eberenz and Kailey Balaban.

At Temple Sha’Arey Shalom, Howard and Audree established a scholarship fund to send children to visit Israel. He was the Ba’al T’keah (shofar blower) at the synagogue since 1968.

Funeral will be held 12:00PM on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at Temple Sha’arey Shalom , 78 So. Springfield Ave., Springfield. Burial will take place at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery in Iselin with arrangements by the Bernheim Apter Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, Livingston, NJ.

Donations, in his memory, may be made to either the Howard & Audree Kiesel Family Fund c/o Temple Sha’Arey Shalom, 78 S. Springfield Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081 or the Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey, 901 Route 10, Whippany, NJ 07981.