Robert B. Berenson

WORCESTER - Robert Bernard Berenson died peacefully in Worcester Massachusetts on January 21, 2020. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on January 24. 1934 to Jacob and Ida Berenson, he attended Elizabeth public schools, and continued his education, graduating from Rutgers University and Rutgers Law School.

A veteran of the United States Air Force, he attained the rank of Captain, served as a Judge Advocate on Vance Air Force Base in Enid Oklahoma and had a general law practice for many years in Westfield, New Jersey. In Westfield, he was active in local Democratic politics, running unsuccessfully for mayor and later devoted himself to progressive political causes, including the nuclear freeze movement. Service to his community was an important part of his life wherever he lived, and in Massachusetts he mentored and developed and maintained connection to a variety of adult and youthful mentees.

He learned to play tennis on the public clay Courts in Elizabeth NJ’s Warinaco Park and went on to play in high school and at Rutgers, where he was captain of the tennis team. He loved to play tennis, which served as a gateway for far-ranging social connections. He taught his beloved wife, Jeri, to play and they played every Sunday evening for decades. He taught each of his 3 children; Rebecca, David, and Ron to play and each of his grandchildren.

When he moved with Jeri from New Jersey to the tiny rural community of Cummington, Massachusetts, in the early 80s, he lived a life that had all the elements he wanted; including a tennis court, a swimming pond, and expansive garden beds, where he grew and harvested lettuce, carrots and pumpkins. Each fall, he delighted in taking his grandchildren on a tour of his garden to select a pumpkin, and he loved nothing more than to follow a competitive tennis match on his court with a refreshing plunge, sans shorts, in his pond.

And, he never gave up trying to improve his tennis game and saw tennis, and the concentration and focus required for the game as a metaphor for life. He loved to play tennis and spoke about his desire to return even in the last months of his life, when he could no longer walk.
He loved his wife, Jeri, and spent his life by her side, setting an example for his children with their sweet and affectionate love partnership and devoted friendship. Having met in Elizabeth as teenagers, they shared joyous times and tragic, painful times over the course of more than 60 years.

Robert was social and open-minded man and blessed his home and family with the many, many friends and acquaintances he brought to engage in lively political discussion. And, he was known to poke the pile, baiting friends and relatives with political comments he knew would feed the fire of discussion.

In retirement, he partnered with his son, Ron, in renovating and reinvigorating the landmark Old Creamery Grocery in Cummington, where he enjoyed and was enjoyed by the customers and the employees.

He was predeceased by his daughter, Rebecca, and survived by his son in law, Charles Rosenblum; son, Ron and daughter in law, Hannah; and David and his wife, Madeleine, and grandchildren Liza, Lena, Lewis, Cody, Dylan, Solomon, Sadie, and Sam, all of whom he loved dearly.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 24 in Temple Emanuel Sinai, 661 Salisbury Street under the direction of Richard Perlman of Miles Funeral Home of Holden. Burial will be in B’Nai Brith Cemetery. Please omit flowers. Memorial contributions may be made to New England Yachad, 384 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446.

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