Matthew Nemerson remembers William W. Goodman 1917 – 2010 - Eulogy from Memorial Service March 2, 2010

Well, it’s a tradition for Jews to rend their clothing at times such as these, and as you can see, I took it a step farther by tearing my Achilles tendon for the occasion…

Another great man of the 20th century Albert Einstein wrote this about man, the world and God in 1940, when Bill Goodman (link to Obituary) was 23 and no doubt paying close attention to the words of a fellow German Jew of similar widely ranging intellectual and political interests and aspirations,

“In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal God... In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself.

“The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge. In this sense I believe that the priest must become a teacher if he wishes to do justice to his lofty educational mission.”

Were those an inspiring message to a young man, or did Bill simply find support for his already developed inner passions and beliefs? I wish I had asked him last week.

Let me next quote Bill’s own priest, mentor and teacher, the Rabbi Stephen Wise who wrote, “An unshared life is not living. He who shares does not lessen, but great-ens, his life.”

Aside to Rabbi: so perhaps Bill became not a Rabbi, but a teacher none the less.

For the Nemerson family, these few lines capture well the wonderful man we remember today, Dear Bill, Billy, Grampa:

Michael Goodman Eulogy for his father


He Searched for the Good and the True.

He strove for rational knowledge.

He sought to share his life with all of us.

And He always saw Beauty in Humanity.



I especially want to open by thanking the Goodmans: Louis, Michael, Kitty, Douglas and Susie for sharing your father with my mother and welcoming all her family into yours.



It is a matter of fact that Bill’s belief that his life must be shared to have meaning, opened the door -- at a time of loss and grief for all of you -- to a great and wonderful decade of happiness and love between Bill and my mother,

his and your acceptance of our family and that willingness to share which he tried to instill in everyone around him,

gave my family the opportunity to truly become members of the Goodman clan and to see and enjoy your patriarch in his glory.

That Bill not only embraced Vivienne but everything and everyone she brought with her was life changing for her and us.

For me there was something wonderful in having a father figure with so many common interests – the yankees, city planning, the gossip of Connecticut political backrooms -- dropped perfectly formed into my life at age 40. Much simpler that way than dealing with him when I was 13 I am sure.

And the Family extended beyond the Nemersons. Marian’s father invited Bill and Vivienne on the Chertow family National Park’s tour in 1999 and when Bernie was too ill to travel, Bill was there to help fill a huge void in her life.

Watching and seeing how Bill faced his final weeks, I imagine that as my teenage daughters come to grips with the concept of eternity and finality it will certainly Bill’s face, words and actions that helps guide their way.

About how few can we truly say, do as they do.



So please Indulge our memories and let me close with a brief list of what was so remarkable and unique about this man:

That strong New York voice, with its Midwestern certainties and Broadway delivery.

dayenu

That kvelling over grand and great grand children and your knowing as the parent that he knew everything that your kid was doing, even if you did not.

Dayenu

That pride and excitement he had in the greatness of the underdog and the unexpected but deserving victory: Tiger, Venus, Marian Anderson, Obama. Okay, maybe not Tiger.

Dayenu

The distrust he had for those who misused power and office, and contempt he had for those who resorted to violence, arrogance and prejudice to get their way.

Dayenu

The respect and interest he had for the waitress, the cab driver, the employee, the victims and the needy.

Dayenu

The sharing of kindred ideas when he would call early on a Sunday to remind you that you just had better read Frank Rich or Maureen Dowd right now.

Dayenu

The taking to heart of Burke and Santayana’s admonition that if you don’t know history you will be doomed to repeat it, as Bill kept Jefferson, Lincoln, WWII, FDR, Truman, Johnson, Civil Rights, Javits, Ribicoff and Bailey fresh in all our minds.

Dayenu

The trips, the Bridge, the golf, the 7-Ps, the getting the suitcases from the attic, the maple syrup and the legs of lamb.

Dayenu

And two final things, the sense that I always had that – more than anyone I will ever know – that when 92 Year old Bill Goodman looked in the mirror or closed his eyes to go to sleep I just know he saw and felt he was still a 30 year old guy stepping out into an amazing and anything is possible world and who was that fellow in the mirror…

And that no matter what tragedy, inhumanity, bad lick, disaster or incomprehensible evil he came across in those 92 years, Bill Goodman believed in his and especially in all of our capacity to make the world a righteous and better place through just one more act of kindness, of charity, tekkun olom, the offer of a hand up and most important of all, by never, never, never letting the bad guys get you down or make you feel that what you felt in your heart was wrong.

Now, I know that Bill would at this point in the program raise his hand – wave it in the air from the front row and then say, “okay interesting speech, times up, can we please eat lunch now?”

God bless you Bill, no human is perfect, but you were perfectly human.

Matthew Nemerson for Vivienne, Andrea, David , Marian, Cindy, Kenton and our children,

March 2, 2010

William Goodman 1917 - 2010

We lost another giant from the "Greatest Generation" Sunday morning as our step-dad of eight years Bill Goodman slipped away peacefully -- as he had planned -- with Vivienne and his son Michael by his side. Bill was chatting and joking to the end and we had several great discussions with him over his last week. Much of the Goodman clan and the three Nemerson children were all able to visit and tell Bill how much he meant to us.

There will be a formal memorial service in Danbury at 11 AM on March 2 at the United Jewish Center, 141 Deer Hill Avenu, Danbury. The official family obituary written by sons Douglas and Michael tells quite a story of a man and the American Century:

William Goodman, 92, a much-beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, an advocate for social justice, a proud Jewish-American, a Democrat and a civic leader in Danbury's post-World War II transformation from the single-industry "Hat City" to today's diversified metropolis known for its quality schools, low crime, and pleasant environs, died of natural causes February 21, 2010 at Danbury Hospital.

A native of New York City, Goodman, with his wife June, moved to Danbury in 1946 to manage the Bieber-Goodman Felt Body Corporation, which had been founded by Max Bieber and Goodman's father, Louis Rose Goodman. Goodman managed the hat company through its move from Danbury to Bethel and until it closed business in 1958 as the last locally-owned and operated hat factory in the Danbury area.

In 1960 he joined George A. Shepard & Sons, Inc., now Shepard's Inc., a commercial warehouse and moving company in Bethel, developing its business and serving as its Chairman until his death.

Goodman and his wife June were intensely involved in Danbury's civic affairs. In the 1950s they helped create the "Committee of 1000," a grass-roots movement dedicated to modernizing Danbury's public school system as the city grew. Deeply familiar with the problems of industrial development in Danbury, Goodman was appointed Chairman of the original Town Planning Commission by 1st Selectman Joseph Sauero. Among his accomplishments was helping convince Stanley Richter to bequeath to the city the tract of land on the west side that was to become the Richter Park Golf course and was subsequently named Chairman of the City Planning Commission by Mayor J. Thayer Bowman soon after the consolidation of the town and city governments. He served more than ten years in that capacity, planning Danbury's economic transformation, the necessary expansion of its infrastructure and paving the way for many companies to make Danbury their home.

When he left the Planning Commission in 1970 he was cited for his "dedicated service, untiring efforts, and valued friendship" by the members of the commission and the officials of the city with whom he had served.

Goodman's civic life in Connecticut began soon after he moved to Danbury when he was appointed by Governor Raymond Baldwin to serve on the state's Veterans Advisory Committee. He subsequently was appointed by Governor Ella Grasso to the State Railroad Commission. He served for many years on Danbury's Town Democratic Party Committee and as Danbury's representative to the Democratic State Central Committee. He was Chairman of the William Ratchford for Congress Committee and was appointed by Governor Grasso to chair Connecticut's Carter for President Committee in 1980.

Among the organizations Goodman helped found, served or for which he advocated are the American Veteran's Committee, Americans for Democratic Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, American Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, CT., Connecticut Planned Parenthood, the Jewish Federation of Danbury, Danbury's United Jewish Center, the NAACP and as a founding Board Member of the New Israel Fund. At the time of his death he was a member of the Danbury Library Board (originally appointed by Mayor Gino Arconti and reappointed by Mayor Mark Boughton), the Danbury Men's Club, the Danbury Bridge Club, and the Twisters Golf Club.

William Wolf Goodman was born September 21, 1917 in New York City to Louis Rose Goodman and Florence Wolf Goodman. In his 1932 confirmation essay written for Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, one of the preeminent Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, Goodman wrote, "Whatever interferes with the development of your manhood or womanhood is injustice," signaling his long commitment to equal rights.

He was educated at Horace Mann High School in New York and graduated with a bachelor of arts in Sociology from Dartmouth College in 1939.

In 1941 he and June Van Raalte Karelsen of New York City were married, a union which lasted 56 years until her death in 1997. Goodman served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1946 and was discharged in the Pacific Theater with the rank of Captain. In 1942, a few months before his first child was born, Goodman wrote to him from Pearl Harbor, where he was stationed: "[The Jews] have been a religious group that has desired for all freedom and greater happiness...may you in your life help to make it a world of peace and a world of understanding among all men." The letter was published in PM and read by Ralph Bellamy on WABC radio as part of a War Bonds Drive.

In 2002 he married Vivienne Nemerson of New Haven, CT, with whom he shared a great love of travel, politics and the arts.

Bill is survived by his wife, Vivienne, his sister Loucel Lippman of New York City and by his and June's five children: Louis Goodman of Bethesda, MD; Michael Goodman of Westport, CT; Kitty Stein of Lincoln, MA; Douglas Goodman of New York City; and Susan Goodman-Goldstein of Red Hook, NY. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Elizabeth Goodman of Brooklyn, NY; Kelric Goodman of Catonsville, MD; Jennifer Goodman of Sarasota, FL; Somers Goodman of Waco, TX; Sasha Goldstein-Sabbah of The Hague, The Netherlands; and Joshua Goldstein of Red Hook, NY. His ten great-grandchildren are Jessica and Henry Balick Goodman of Catonsville, MD; Ella, Isaiah, and Julian Brown of Brooklyn; Helen and Daisy Goodman of Waco, TX; Kaia and Sophia Yturralde of Sarasota, FL and Dalia Sabbah-Goldstein of The Hague.

Goodman is also survived by Vivienne's children and granchildren:Matthew Nemerson and his daughters, Elana and Joy, of New Haven; David Nemerson and his son, Arlo, of Baltimore; and Andrea Nemerson and her children, Avram and Lilah Nemerson Hoover , of San Francisco.

Goodman was a charming, optimistic, dynamic and loving civic leader, cook, sportsman and businessman, utterly devoted to his family and many friends. He was a dedicated Danburian and a life-long Democrat as illustrated by one of his proudest statements: "The only Republican I ever voted for was T. Clark Hull [for State Senator], but only once!"

Goodman fought many battles, never worried about what people might think or what the odds of success were if he believed something ought to done. At the height of the 1950's Red Scare he chose, despite numerous threats and warnings, to testify before the Army-McCarthy hearings on behalf of a college classmate who had been accused of being a Communist.

In his last weeks William Goodman did not depart from how he lived every day: with optimism and great spiritual energy, buoyed by his clear belief that his causes would be carried on by the next three generations of Goodmans and Nemersons.

The family will be receiving guests for two evenings on Monday February 22 and Tuesday February 23 at 7:00 PM in their home at 1 Lakeside Rd. in Danbury. There will be a Memorial Service Tuesday, March 2 at 11 a.m. at the United Jewish Center on Deer Hill Ave. in Danbury. Contributions in his memory can be made to The New Israel Fund at www.nif.org.

MT Sinai Remebers Dad

I regret to inform you of the passing of Dr. Yale Nemerson, Professor Emeritus of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology. Dr. Nemerson passed away at home on February 12, while recuperating from a respiratory illness. He is survived by three children, Matthew, Andrea, and David, and five grandchildren.

Born on November 15, 1931, Yale’s early interests were initially in the social sciences. In his late teens, however, he elected to attend medical school and ultimately chose hematology as his life’s work. His visionary research in the fields of blood coagulation and vascular biology has long enhanced Mount Sinai’s historic strengths in hematology and vascular medicine.

Yale was long an acknowledged expert on the role of tissue factor (TF) in thrombus formation. He pioneered the concept that blood-borne TF plays a key role in thrombus propagation, and that for clotting to occur in vasculature, TF must encounter activated platelets.Much of his research has had practical clinical significance. For example, levels of blood-borne tissue factor are now being measured for their effects on cardiovascular risk. TF levels have also been found to be elevated in Type II diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Elevated intravascular TF has also been reported in diverse pro-thrombotic syndromes such as myocardial infarction, sepsis, anti-phospholipid syndrome, and sickle-cell disease.

Throughout his career, Yale Nemerson published extensively in major peer-reviewed journals. He also served at the highest levels of numerous national and international organizations devoted to the study of blood coagulation and its implications in prothrombotic syndromes.Dr. Nemerson was elected member of the prestigious Association of American Physicians.

He also won numerous awards and citations for his work including the Wright Schultz Award from the International Society of Thrombosis and Hameostasis; the John and Samuel Bard Distinguished Alumnus Award in Medicine; the Shirley Johnson Memorial Lecture in Medicine (International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis), and the American Society for Quality’s Grant Medal.

Contributions in Yale's name to the American Heart Association would be a meaningful and well received acknowledgment of a life well lived in the service of science and a better understanding of human health.Please join me in offering condolences to Yale's family and friends.

Paul Klotman, Dean

Dr. Yale Nemerson 1931 - 2009

It is with great sadness that we announce that Yale Nemerson died suddenly early this evening. The turn of events caught us all off guard as Dad had been gaining strength during his rehab in Baltimore. At lunch time he had a long and philosophical conversation with David and later by phone with Vivienne about the prospects for his recovery and how he might adjust to the new circumstances of living with the limitations imposed by his recent illness.

The precise circumstances surrounding his death are not clear, but are probably related to the strain on his heart and lungs from the serious pneumonia of early this January. Yale's children wish to thank the many friends, doctors, nurses and helpers who comforted him during his six week fight against a tough disease.

Among Dad's last words to David over a long lunch were his satisfaction with having lived a good and satisfying life; having contributed to mankind through his research and leaving behind a strong and good family. He expressed no regrets and was looking forward, if possible to moving back to New York following his recovery.


Yale was born in The Bronx on December 15, 1931, the only child of Joseph Nemerson and Ciel Bandes. He grew up to be a champion tennis player and scholar at Bronx High School for Science, and even spent a semester as a tennis recruit at Tulane University before transferring to Bard College in Stratford-on-Hudson. There, while rooming with future actor Larry Hagman, he developed an interest in philosophy and psychology.

After taking time to travel and join the family real estate business, Yale decided to go to NYU medical school, first to be a psychiatrist and then, becoming curious after developing a bleeding disorder himself, he choose his life's passion, hematology. His internship at Lenox Hill Hospital and residency at Montefiore Medical Center led him in the direction of the laboratory and pure science where he would spend the next 44 years uncovering the inner workings of blood clotting and becoming one of the first great explorers of the role of tissue factor in this complex set of reactions.

Yale married Vivienne Black in 1957, raising her son, Matthew and together they had Andrea and David. He joined the Yale Medical faculty in 1964 and quickly rose to become a young full professor. His work on understanding the role and working of tissue factor in the 1960s - discovered through his work with a small heard of cows in a town near New Haven - proved to be a breakthrough that altered the way the fundamental mechanisms of blood clotting were regarded by the rest of the world.

As his research partner at Yale, and his friend and collaborator for decades afterward, Dr. William Konigsberg of Yale University has often noted, "from that time on Yale was 'Dr. Clot' for most of the world's hematologists."

In 1975 Yale and Vivienne divorced and he moved to Stony Brook University to build what he hoped would be one of the premier hematology departments in the world.

Budget cuts throughout New York State scuttled plans for the Long Island school's immediate expansion and he then moved to Mt Sinai Medical School in 1977, buying a Park Avenue penthouse and marrying Andrea Buchman. Yale soon established himself into the life of a New York City medical leader, a globe trotting in demand speaker on hematological issues and a mentor to scientists at home and abroad. Yale and Andy purchased a weekend home in Great Barrington and his love of the Berkshires would remain for the rest of his life.

Yale married Muriel Haim, a senior pharmaceutical executive in 1993 and then chaired the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Congress in New York that year and also chaired the society's board of directors. In 2000, this marriage also ended.

Throughout his marriages, Yale remained close to his children and his grandchildren and together they shared a set of houses in the Berkshires where they spent many holidays. He also remained close to his former wife Vivienne and her husband William Goodman.

In addition to his children, Yale is survived by his five grandchildren, two daughters in-law and one son-in-law. They are Matthew and Marian Chertow's Elana and Joy, Andrea and Kenton Hoover's Avram and Lilah and David and Cindy Freeman's Arlo.

A service for Yale Nemerson is planned for 2:00 PM Sunday, February 15, 2009 in his apartment in lower Manhattan at 145 Nassau Street, near City Hall. Contributions in Yale's name to the American Heart Association (https://donate.americanheart.org/ecommerce/donation/acknowledgement_info.jsp;jsessionid=TMBY5W0X352WYCQFCU1SCAQ?campaignId=&site=Heart&itemId=prod20007)would be a meaningful acknowledgment of a life well lived in the service of science and a better understanding of the workings of the human body or to the Metropolitan Opera (http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/support/gifts/memorial.aspx), one of Yale's great passions. Please call 203 444-6482 for more information.

Progress Today in Baltmore

Sorry for the long delay between posts, but we have been trying to settle back into some sort of a routine around here. Yale got to Hopkins Bayview rehab last Monday (2/2). They had him in a rather unprivate observation suite for a couple of days and then moved him to a private room, but still on the vent/trach floor (although he had neither).

Yesterday, he got to moved "downstairs" to the true rehab floor. I haven't seen it yet, but I gather that it is much less medicalized, populated by much less sick folk and has better amenities like a buffet style dining room, large-screen TV lounge etc. I'll be over there later today.

Prior to the move, we had an impressive meeting with dad's entire care team - at least 10 people including the attending physician, PT and OT therapists, PAs (physician assistants), social workers and patient care advocates. It went very well and they were all pleased and surprised at dad's capacity for, and pace of, recovery. That being said, they all reiterated that this was quite a blow, and that he still had several weeks of work ahead just to get up and about. They also said that the pneumonia had taken a toll on his lungs and that his respiratory function will be a continuing issue.

Cindy (my wife) and I are currently looking at options for Yale to stay in Baltimore for at least a while longer after he is done with residential rehab, as he doesn't, at least at the moment, feel like going back to living alone in his apartment in the City.

I have received many emails recently expressing well wishes for my dad. Thanks again, for everyone's care and concern.

David

Welcome to Baltimore!

Yale arrived yesterday at Hopkins Bayview Care Center, via medical transport, from New York Downtown. He pronounced the ride "lousy": bad springs, bumpy, noisy and cold. But he made it with no real problems.

For now, he is in an intake/observation suite that is rather open and lacking in privacy. Hopefully, today, the staff will remove his trach altogether, and after a day or two of observation, he can move to a real room. He is breathing fine and just on a bit of supplimental O2 thru the nose, so it would seem it is time to lose the trach.

Then begins the hard work of rebuilding a lot of lost strength and muscle mass. Yesterday, he polished off the bacon cheeseburger and chocolate cake I brought. Today, he made short work of a pastrami sandwich and rice pudding. Hey, when you lose 20 pounds of muscle, dieting is NOT on the agenda.

We are happy to have him in town and look forward to a steady upward trajectory from here.

Going to Baltimore

After what will be a 31 day stint in the ICU, Yale will be leaving NY Downtown on Monday morning, bound for a residential rehab program at Hopkins in Baltimore. He has been off the vent for several days now and doing just fine. We would have had him moved down here sooner, but we couldn't get a bed until Monday. The folks at Hopkins will be focusing on getting his pulmonary function back up to snuff as well as general physical rehab to overcome the effects of a month in bed. We are sure that in a few weeks, Dad will be up and about and getting back to a normal life, having put this episode thoroughly behind him.

My favorite indicator of the craziness of this past month: I just got my cell phone bill and I exceeded my plan allotment by 1,684 minutes and 210 texts, resulting in a bill of over $700!! Verizon was nice enough to bump my plan allotments up retroactively, fitting me in a $109 plan - sure beats $700.