I met Vic at the Glass Masters Guild while learning how to make stained glass. Thereafter, since I loved the art so much, I wound up getting a job there in my twenties. We became buds and went to restaurants and musical venues together. He introduced me to klzmer music and was always amazed by his breath and depth of so many subjects. I was in awe of his craftsmanship skills. As of late, my husband and I would ride up to his studio in Yonkers to spend time with him, bring him a coffee and hear about his projects. In the photo, I am holding up one of two stained glass projects that Vic made for my husband and me. He remembered offering to give us a piece of stained glass as a wedding gift and was making good on his word, 37 years later. We spoke to Vic, not too long ago, and are heartbroken to hear of his passing. He truly was.a Renaissance Man and will be missed beyond measure…
With so much love and respect,
Rhoda Berke-Kasner and Marty Kasner


      I knew Vic professionally. We were not friends outside of work, but Vic and I shared many friendly moments over the course of the past 20-something years. We worked on a dozen projects together, bid on dozens more and talked countless time on the phone discussing glass, work, and life, We  shared a lot of laughs along the way. Vic was brilliant, a gifted craftsman, generous to a fault and about as direct and genuine as anyone I have ever known. He knew everything it seemed & was always willing to help & share his knowledge. I will miss that big old bear. 

I knew and worked with Vic for 25 years. Enjoyed every job we did together and anyways learned something. He was my go to phone call whenever I hit a brick wall on a project, would always know where to buy an esoteric product and happy to share the information. We were in the installation trenches often and many was the time we were on scaffolding or a ladder when he would say” I’m too old for this .” Take a beat and then get back to the task at hand. He never lost the enthusiasm he had when he started as an amateur and transitioned to a world renowned expert.
I will miss him tremendously.

Vic shared with me an interest in the work of Henry Holiday and was supportive of my research. He alerted me to the need to find a new home for Holiday's first American commission, The Boy Christ at Church of the Savior in Jenkintown, PA. We convinced the church to give it to the Woodmere Art Museum.. Vic also recommended me to speak at the American Glass Guild conference.  I'm sorry he won't get to see my new book on Holiday but I'm sure he would have enjoyed it.
Vic will be missed.

Painting by Indre McCraw. Vic agreed to model in medieval costume at an AGG Conference. 

Vic found me online in 2005, trying to learn how to take my painting skills to glass. I thought he was just a smart garage curmudgeon. In 2009 he recommended I apply for a scholarship to attend Dick Millard's painting class, and I was embarassed to find my humble mentor was so much more. Words can not express the depth of Victor Rothman, nor his generous spirit. 

He walked me though applying for the scholarship and through getting my first new  church window project in 2010. Answered my every question. Then he came all the way to Alaska for the Bishop's dedication of my new windows. I will never forget taking a true blue NYC boy on an ATV ride up a creek in the wilderness near Denali National Park. His motorcycle skills came in handy. 
His smiling photo was taken at Nick's wake. I told him I would attend his, if he beat me to it. With the short notice and health issues in our home, I will not be able to keep that promise. So I ask any one who reads this to please raise a glass to Vic from me at the after party at the bar. "Cheers Vic! Thank You for living a life of Giving. May God grant you Mercy and Joy .  And I pray to see you again in Heaven."

I had the opportunity to work closely with Vic, as together, with Art Femenella, Mary Higgins and Barbara Krueger, we founded the American Glass Guild. We started meeting in 2004, and held our first conference in Albany, NY in 2006. We served together on the Board for six years, and after our terms ended, Vic and I remained involved. Vic, then served a second term. Vic was the practical voice in our group. He spoke his mind, and always contributed sage advice. He supported our mission of education, and was always ready to share his knowledge. Attendees at our early conferences will remember his presentation, "Tips and Tricks". He was more than a stained glass conservator, he was an ingenious inventor. He even found a use for a hot-dog roller in his conservation work! 
In 2019, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the AGG. He had planned to attend the upcoming American Glass Guild conference in Richmond, VA where he was looking forward to being awarded "Senior Advisor" status, which, over the years, has been bestowed upon a small and prestigious group of the very best in the field of stained glass. 
Vic, my friend, you will be greatly missed.

What a tremendous loss…
I met Vic over 25 years ago.  He was always so generous in sharing his knowledge of stained glass and the little “tricks” he would come up with. We would always sit at the bar at conferences and we would discuss stained glass, cars, motorcycles…while he drank his dark beer… I will miss you my friend…terribly!

My condolences to his family…
Roberto Rosa
Serpentino Stained Glass 

So very sad to hear of Vic's passing. 
Mary, Art and now Vic - a generation of incredible talent is passing. 
I greatly enjoyed spending time with Vic at various Stained Glass Conferences around the globe - and in the après sessions later ! His humour, his knowledge, his thinking outside-the-box and his generosity will be greatly missed by all.
Rest in Peace, Vic, from across the Pond xox

Victor, sad not had the time to discuss with you about this rendering from LaFarge, that just came in my collection. I can see your eyes wide open in front of this. It was a special chance to know you.

If the family is so inclined, a brush from his studio with a small palette of paint to accompany him on his final journey would be appreciated.

So sorry to hear the news; Victor was well respected for his views on FB pages dealing with his craft. I had noticed his absence in the lately.
I will miss him.
Cliff Oswald

Vic was a very good friend. Ray and Vic knew eachother since their attempt at business school in the mid 60's.. moved on to FortLauderdale University from which they both graduated in the late 60's.. they met up again in NYC when Vic was working at GlassMasters and Ray was working at Greenland Studio,  
Ray would go to Vic's studio for some strip of lead or whatever unusual treasure might be needed for a project,  and wind up spending the day  swapping stories.
He was always the one Ray called with any question and Vic always had the answer or would find it out.
Vic could always make some sort of jig or adaption to any tool or machine.... he will be missed by us.
Kate and Ray LaRanger

You will be greatly missed my friend. Glass community will be at a huge loss with out you.

What a great loss to the glass community and those who called him friend/family. I never had the opportunity to meet him, but I learned more about stained glass from that man’s Facebook posts and comments than I’ve probably learned from any single source anywhere.  If Vic said it, it was definitive and true, I learned early on…

Vic was always a message away with answers to my questions.   He would send source materials helping to educate me on the old ways.  He will be missed. 
~Daylight

So terribly sad and surprised to hear Vic just died. Vic Rothman was a true icon of our field.  A genuine Master of the trade who is/was widely respected by all who knew and worked with him.  Gentle and humble and willing to share his vast knowledge with others, even with on-line on stained glass group sites where the questions made my eyes roll, but he kindly offered advice.  Also giving of his time and talent with the American Glass Guild to teach and inspire all of us.  He will be remembered as one of the Grand Masters of our contemporary stained glass industry,  who carried on like a timeless ancient muse with the same high talent and ability as the great glass Maestros and artisans of the last thousand years of our corpus .  Thank you, Victor, and God rest your precious soul.
--Patrick Clark

OBITUARY

Victor Rothman

March 12, 1947 – May 22, 2023

Riverside Memorial Chapel - Hawthorne

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