Ascher Katz

Ascher Katz

Hartsdale - Ascher Katz passed away on March 22, 2019, from complications of Parkinson's disease, before his 92nd birthday. He was born in the Bronx on April 16, 1927, to Tessie and Morris Katz, hardworking immigrants from Moldova, formerly Czarist Russia. He graduated from Townsend Harris High School and, at age 15, attended City College of New York as an engineering student where he was elected president of the student council and was active in field and track. He enlisted in the United States Navy three days before his 18th birthday, and before being deployed at sea, he was stationed in Gulfport, Mississippi. When he was on leave, he loved to roller skate and learned how to jump and dance in the rink. He was honorably discharged after WWII.

Just after returning to college, at age 20, he suffered a near fatal stroke completely paralyzing the right side of his body. He made a remarkable but incomplete recovery. He graduated from CCNY with a BEE in 1948 and from Harvard Law School with an LLB in 1951. He started his career with the NYC Legal Aid Society and then NYC Corporation Counsel's Office. He later became a partner at Katz and Klein, Esqs. He served as a Greenburgh Town Court Judge for 23 years. A great part of his life was devoted to the Democratic Party and its ideals, and he served as a District Leader in Hartsdale until the age of 91. He was a Temple Israel Center trustee and president of its religious school.

His wife Barbara was the love of his life and they celebrated almost 51 years of marriage together. Ascher found great joy in the Kabbalah Center and its loving members. He loved to paint, sing, garden, attend art exhibits and eat. He delighted and inspired us all with his loving, sweet, open eyed smile and boundless energy, despite his many physical and medical challenges. Ascher was a man of great determination, creativity and love for his family and friends. We will miss him dearly.

He was predeceased by his wife Barbara, his brother Sidney (Eileen) and his sister Lora. Surviving him are his daughters Arlene Katz Spitzer (Jeffrey), Beverly Gilbert (Thomas), and Rochelle Katz, and his grandchildren Jacob, Matthew and Hannah. Donations in memory of Ascher Katz may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, STRIDE Adaptive Sports (STRIDE.org) or UJA.