Arthur M. Edelman
1930 – 2021
Click to view the recorded webcast of the funeral service.
Arthur M. Edelman, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, who lived and worked in the Trenton, N.J., area for more than seven decades, died peacefully on Monday, June 21, at Penn Medical Center in Plainsboro, N.J. He was 90 and had been in declining health.
A Boston Red Sox fan since his youth, Arthur followed the team religiously right up to his final days in the hospital, which he spent surrounded by family. Like most Red Sox fans, he claimed he could run the team better than whoever was manager at the time.
Arthur never got a shot at managing the Sox, but he had a long and successful career as a certified public accountant. In his younger days, especially during tax season, he would often work evenings in the den, the printout from his adding machine cascading from the desk to the floor, a college basketball game on the television to keep him company.
Later, Arthur merged his firm, Edelman & Eros, with J.H. Cohn & Co., where he became a member of the management committee and managing partner of its office in Lawrenceville, N.J. After he retired, Arthur continued as a consultant to the firm for several years. He kept a calculator in his home office — a digital model with no paper to clutter the desktop.
Arthur Myron Edelman was born Dec. 11, 1930, in Newton, Mass., and moved to Trenton 15 years later with his mother, Bertha Berkman Edelman, and older sister, Felice, after the death of his father, Maxwell.
It wasn’t long before he met his future wife, Marion Lavine, a classmate at Trenton Central High School. He went on to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, commuting daily to Philadelphia, while Marion studied at Douglass College. They married in 1953, a year after their graduations and while Arthur was in the middle of his stateside Army service.
Arthur and Marion settled in Trenton and started a family. They lost their second child, a daughter, Leslie, to leukemia at 2 ½ in 1961. Marion died 11 years later, at 42, from breast cancer.
Arthur did what he saw his mother do: He persevered. A new love entered his life, Carol Frank, and they married in 1974. Their households came together — Arthur’s three children and Carol’s two, plus Carol’s father and a miniature schnauzer — in Princeton, N.J. He adored his wife, loved his new children, and tolerated the dog.
When he wasn’t working or complaining about the Red Sox, Arthur relaxed by golfing, socializing at Greenacres Country Club (now known as Cobblestone Creek) with Carol, going to the movies and the theater, and traveling. He enjoyed watching his children, and then grandchildren, do the things they loved: compete in sports, dance, sing, and play music.
His volunteer work included serving as president of the Jewish Community Center of Trenton, the local Jewish Federation, and Greenacres.
In addition to Carol, Arthur is survived by Marc and Edna Edelman, of El Portal, Fla.; Larry Edelman and Meghan Willis, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Nancy Frank Cook and Richard Cook, of Basking Ridge, N.J.; Sue Edelman and Cheryl Schaffer, of Medford, Mass.; and Seth Frank and Caroline Broullon, of Doylestown, Pa.
His nine grandchildren — Sagiv Edelman, Gilad Edelman, Mara DeJonghe, Jacob Edelman, Gabriel Edelman, Stephanie Cook, Jennifer Cook, Sayde Frank, and Chloe Frank — brought Arthur immense joy. So did his great grandchildren: Emmanuel Edelman, Remy DeJonghe, and Sylvie DeJonghe.
Funeral services will be held Friday, June 25, at 12 p.m., at Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel, 1534 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ. Burial will follow at the Har Sinai section of Ewing Cemetery.
Arthur was a regular contributor to Planned Parenthood. Memorial contributions can be made at https://www.weareplannedparenthood.org/ As Arthur would surely note, it’s tax deductible.
A lovely tribute to a fine man. We send our love and condolences to Arthur’s extraordinary family.
Arthur was a fine, caring and wonderful man who was a cousin of my late husband, Arthur Abramsohn. Art relied on Arthur’s good judgement in most matters of family and finances. He was well-loved by family and friends and will be missed by those fortunate enough to know him.
Larry,
Lew Finfer and Judy Shea send our condolences to you, Meghan, and your family.
Your father lived a BIG life and found a way to go forward despite losing his first wife and his daughter. I’m sure there were times he could have done a better job of managing the Red Sox than some they’ve had.
Our condolences to you.
I remember 37 years ago, on a school organized Father-Son rafting trip, I floated down the Salmon River (I believe that was the river) with Seth and Arthur. Unfortunately my Father ended up not coming. But Arthur showed up. Arthur and Seth had such a great time. And with them, I did too. A couple years after Seth and I were house-mates in L.A., and Seth often mentioned Arthur. That’s because when it mattered, Arthur was there. . . My sincerest condolences to Arthur’s family and friends—and especially to Carol & Seth
I am so very sorry for your loss —truly a great man.
When I think of Arthur I smile as the many good times that were had a The Old Guard and lunch after the meeting. We will truly miss him and remember him for ever.
Nancy and Rich and family,
It is clear that your Dad and I would have greatly enjoyed whinging on about the Red Sox! I cannot put down his nicknames for certain Managers gone-by, because they would be edited out. Dave and I are so sorry for the loss of such a special dad and man. You are a testament to who he was, so he lives on through you and yours. Hugs, Ann and Dave
So very sorry to hear about the passing of Arthur. We were fortunate to have met him a few years ago. May Arthur’s memory be for a blessing.
Love, Lynn and Noam Kra-Oz
Beautiful tribute.
So sorry for your loss.
Love and hugs,
Carolyn Katz
Our love and condolences to Arthur’s beloved wife Carol and to Larry, Meg, Mara, Evan, Jake, Gabe, Remy, Sylvie, Sue and Cheryl, Mark and Edna and all of the other lovely family members who loved Arthur and who miss him. May he rest in peace.
Sarah and Gary
Extending my most heartfelt sympathy to your family. The tribute to him made it clear how much he and his calculators were loved by everyone around him.
What an incredible life Arthur had! If we could all be so blessed to have loved so many and touched so many in such positive ways. The losses were tragic; the rebuilding of his world incredibly commendable and as his obituary aptly put it: a great example of perseverance. Life is for the living and it seems Arthur did just that, in a wonderful way.
Wonderful tribute to a wonderful man. Sending condolences.
Arthur and Carol have been lovely neighbors when I lived in Skillman. Arthur was a lovely man. Beautiful service. So sorry for the loss of a good man.