William James Lubic

William James Lubic passed away on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at the age of 96 in Red Bank, New Jersey. Born in Brooklyn to Croatian immigrants Stefan and Annette Ljubicic, Bill was raised in Brooklyn and served in the United States Navy during World War II. In 1949, he graduated from Columbia College where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi, rowed crew and was on the Varsity fencing team.

Following graduation from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, Bill joined Weil, Gotschal & Manges in Manhattan. In 1973, he and Robert Kagan (father of Justice Elena Kagan) started the firm of Kagan & Lubic, which continues as Kagan, Lubic, Lepper, Finkelstein & Gold, LLP. Bill’s practice specialized in real estate and specifically representation of tenants of buildings that were being converted to cooperative ownership.

Bill married nursing student Ruth Watson in 1955. In addition to his legal practice and active support of Columbia College, Bill also encouraged and supported Ruth’s higher education and development of maternal and child healthcare. His greatest pride was the success that she achieved in helming Maternity Center Association and establishing the first out of hospital, midwife guided child bearing center in 1975. Ruth’s receipt of the MacArthur Fellowship “Genius Grant” in 1993 was a triumph for them both.

Bill’s love for his alma mater knew no bounds. He served as President of the Class of ’49 for over 20 years, was an active fundraiser and recruiter, and established the William and Ruth Watson Lubic Professorship of Anthropology at Columbia University.

Following retirement from the practice of law in New York, Bill joined Ruth at their residence in Washington, D.C. before moving to Red Bank, New Jersey in 2021 to be close to family. Bill was physically active and mentally vigorous until the end of his life when he passed away in his sleep of natural causes.

Bill was predeceased by his parents, Stefan and Annette Ljubicic, and his elder brother Edward S. Lubich. Bill is survived by his wife Ruth Watson Lubic of Red Bank, New Jersey, his sister, Mildred Weisberg of Merion Station, Pennsylvania, his son, Douglas Watson Lubic and daughter-in-law Ann M. Dougherty of Red Bank, New Jersey, and grandchildren Charles L. Lubic of New York, New York and Alice M. Lubic of Whidbey Island, Washington.

Services are private. Throughout his life, Bill wished to give others the benefits of the education that he enjoyed. Memorial donations may be made in support of student financial aid at Columbia University to Elisa Heikkilä, Columbia Alumni Center, 622 West 113th Street, MC4520, New York, New York 10025 or by the following link: https://college.givenow.columbia.edu/?alloc=07161#.