Charles Jacobowitz's Obituary
On January 17, 2023, Charles Jacobowitz, residing in Los Angeles, California, passed away at the age of 99.
Charles was born as Isaiah “Shia” Jacobowitz on October 11, 1923, in Melitz, Poland. He immigrated with his mother and two brothers (Jack and Moses) to the United States just two years later in 1925 where he assumed the name Charles at Ellis Island, and joined his father in East New York, Brooklyn. His youngest brother, Abraham (Abe), was born shortly thereafter. It was in Brooklyn where Charlie met Martha Applebaum, the love of his life, whom he married in 1946 and had two sons with, Steven and Howard.
Shortly after meeting Martha, Charlie was conscripted into the US Army during World War II, and spent most of his service repairing airplanes in Manchester, England. When he returned, he began working as a butcher, eventually taking ownership of the butcher shop and then the entire building, while raising his family of four in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. The Jacobowitz Family remembers those years fondly, of trips upstate to visit their family bungalow colony in the Catskill Mountains and being a part of a vibrant community. Charles and Martha enjoyed nights out dancing (their favorite pastime), going out with friends, and romantic trips upstate, just the two of them.
After 25 years, Charlie transitioned from the meat business into sales and lived out the rest of his professional career as a drapery salesman. After retiring, he and Martha moved down to Delray Beach, Florida, where they found many families and friends, including Martha’s sisters, Gladys and Millie (the MGM girls was their nickname). In 2000, after a short battle with brain cancer, Martha passed away at the age of 75. He is remembered for his resilience in those ensuing years, finding a group of friends and a renewed sense of purpose after losing his soulmate and taking joy in the simple things like a movie musical (Chicago was a favorite of his) or simply sharing memories of his beloved Martha. Those friends and family served Charlie well in his remaining 16 years in Florida, before he moved to Los Angeles for better weather and to be closer to family.
Charlie is survived by his two sons, Steven and Howard, and their respective families including two daughters-in-law, Lynn and Debbie, four granddaughters, Lauren, Jana, Sara, and Amy, and six great-grandchildren, Brandon, Ethan, Aidan, Mason, Micah, and Skylar. He will be remembered fondly for his sense of humor, his love of family, and his insatiable joy for tennis and dancing. He continued dancing until nearly his last days.
Howard
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