Charles Yondorf Lazarus

LAZARUS Charles Yondorf Lazarus. died peacefully at his home on Monday, May 14th, 2007. With the exception of his college years and war service, he was a life-long resident of Columbus. He was preceded in death by his parents Simon and Edna Yondorf Lazarus, his brother Simon Lazarus Jr, his sister Rose Lazarus Shinbach, and by his wife Frances Nathan Lazarus. He attended the Columbus Academy, graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and received a B.A. from Yale University. A highly decorated veteran, he served in the Quartermaster Corps and the U.S. Air Force, Air Transport Command, where he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Mr. Charles, as he was called, began his full-time employment at F & R Lazarus in 1936. After serving as a salesperson, stock manager, manager of numerous departments, merchandise manager and in every executive capacity, he retired as Chairman Emeritus in 1981. Among the many boards on which he served, he was a director of Federated Department Stores, Ameritrust Corporation and Association, Huntington Bancshares, Huntington National Bank, Midland Mutual Life Insurance Co., the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and a National Director of the Spoleto Festival Association. He was a member of the Academy for Contemporary Problems, of Kit Kat, a trustee of Mt. Carmel Hospital, the Columbus Academy, Temple Israel, Winding Hollow Country Club, and the Greenlawn Cemetery Association. Charles Lazarus was a board member of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, the Executive Committee of the Development Committee for Greater Columbus, past chairman and board member of The Ohio State University Development Fund, past chairman and board member of The Ohio State University Hospital, first chairman and founder of OSU Pacesetters (College of Business). He was a member of the President's Commission on Foreign Trade; the President's Public Advisory Committee on U. S. Trade Policy; the Business-Industry Council; White House Conference on Youth; and he chaired the Governor's Advisory Committee on Civil Rights. He was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Associated Merchandising Corp.; President of the Ohio State Council of Retail Merchants; President, Member of the Board and Executive Committee, American Retail Federation; and a faculty associate at the School of Business, Indiana University. He served the community in so many leadership positions including the Community Chest, the United Appeal of Franklin County where he was the first General Chairman, and as first Metro Chairman National Alliance of Businessmen. Throughout his life and work, he received numerous awards and honors including the Humanitarian and Jewish Man of the Year awards from Temple Israel, the Columbus Award from the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Columbus Academy, Distinguished Service Award from The Ohio State University, Honorary Doctor of Laws from Capital University, Honorary Doctor of Humanities from Ohio Dominican College, Honorary Doctor of Community Leadership from Franklin University. Charles Lazarus is survived by his sister, Joan L. Stark; step-sister, Phyllis Greene; and step-brother, Al Harmon; sister-in law, Harriet S. Lazarus; brother-in-law, Robert Nathan, by his children: Marjorie, Stuart (Cynthia) and Wendy (Harley Frankel); and his grandchildren, Matthew L. Schwartz, Jonathan L. Schwartz (fiancee Marcee Harris), Nathaniel L. Schwartz; David Lazarus Frankel and Laura Lazarus Frankel, Frances A. Lazarus; a compassionate team of care-givers; Dorothy G. Lazarus, from whom he is legally separated. There will be a service in his memory on Friday, May 18th, 11 a.m. at Temple Israel, 5419 East Broad Street. The family will receive visitors immediately following the service in the temple social hall. If you wish to make a contribution in his honor, please consider The Charles Y. Lazarus Fund of the Columbus Foundation or HomeReach Hospice. SCHOEDINGER MIDTOWN CHAPEL in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent to www.schoedinger.com.