June 10, 2012 The Nicest Fellow You Could Imagine

To Sara and Ellen: 

Your dad, Dave, was the light-hearted, hard-working, cherished companion who reportedly loved to go to the movies and always encouraged fun.  Together, the three enjoyed dinners out, particularly Chinese food which your dad introduced to B & Bonnie.  B & Dave particularly enjoyed long, philosophical discussions peppered with joking and good humor which lasted long into the night sometimes. When Dave was on vacation once, Bonnie was quick to observe that B sorely missed his company.  B & Bonnie often talked about, always admired and enjoyed your dad's quick wit and intellect and always referred to him as “the nicest fellow you could imagine”.  Your dad knew New Haven so well that I think he must have been responsible for introducing B & Bonnie to every nook and cranny to be enjoyed!  B & Bonnie would be delighted to know, and not surprised, that he found the love of his life in Selma. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story of your family!

Sara writes:  David Rosenbaum (our father) was a remarkable man, from a remarkable family. His father and his father’s brothers immigrated to New Haven, CT, from Russia at the turn of the 20^th century, and like all immigrant families of that time – or now – the family was desperately impoverished and spoke no English.  As a result of a supportive community and extraordinary family commitment, our grandfather and all of his brothers went to Yale.  Our dad and his brother grew up in a large and loving household of Yalies, and of course, off he went to Yale (his brother was the first person in history to transfer from Harvard to Yale, having gone to Harvard as a 15-year-old and fooled around enough to be brought home to go to school locally).  

Known as Bud by his older brother (and the rest of us, and known to Sara’s daughter (his grandchild) as Grandpa Bud), David Rosenbaum was a singular father.  He married our mother, Selma Lipsy, in his mid-thirties,  (She took QUITE the interest in your letter about Dave and his girlfriend visiting your parents), and they had a wonderful life together.   He taught math at the Milford Academy, founded by his father and brothers, his entire life, and he was much beloved.  We had a wonderful childhood, having had the totally fabulous experience of growing up at a private boys school.  Right out of John Irving. 

As Sara’s daughter Rachel called him so lovingly at his funeral (he died 2 days short of his 90^th birthday), David was the “quiet grandpa,” the best and most loving father 2 girls could ask for.   His love for his wife, his daughters, his family, his school, and his community, all were fairly boundless.  Nothing made him happier than being with his “girls” as we collectively were known.  

There are so many wonderful stories about David Rosenbaum that it is impossible to know where to begin.   So we girls just post this with our love. 

And Ellen adds:

I can tell you that I attended the Milford Academy where David (Bud) taught the first year the school went coed…my freshman year.  I suspect that children who attend the same school at which a parent teaches have a rather dicey time of it…overhearing things they’d rather not hear or feel the need to join in some rather cruel conversations just to show they are “cool”.  All I can say is that my father AND GRANDFATHER (for he was still teaching there my freshman year) were so well liked and respected by students as well as faculty and staff that overheard conversations or awkward situations just didn’t exist.  Even the little pranks pulled by students who were now my friends were met with good humor (leaving the classroom door open just a crack so as my father backed down the chalkboard writing out his geometry or algebra equations he eventually backed right out of the classroom!  My grandfather was quite deaf (as was Bud) so when the students turned the vacuum cleaner on that was left in the back of the classroom by the cleaning crew the only people they ended up driving crazy was themselves…when one of the students went to turn off the vacuum my grandfather saw him, told him to sit down…no more fooling around so that vacuum ran for the whole class).

My father was a wonderful, kind and gentle soul.  He would be so pleased to see you keeping his name, the family name, alive and kicking.

NOTE from Ann to readers:  For a look into the interesting history of the Milford Academy, use this link.  If I recall correctly, Dave and B worked together for a short time at the US Electric Plant before Dave left to teach at his father's school. 
http://www.milfordacademy.org/history01.html