Richard I Samuel

Richard I. Samuel of Scotch Plains, New Jersey died on March 20, 2011 at JFK Haven Hospice, in Edison. Beloved husband of Geri M. Samuel, father of Mimi Samuel, Joanne Samuel Goldblum, Matthew Samuel and Ryan Samuel. He was predeceased by his sister, Felice Samuel Greene and his parents, Mollie and Alexander Samuel. Dick was very active in the local and international communities for many years. In his early twenties, Dick became involved with politics and a strong activist for abortion rights and many other causes. In 1968, he successfully ran as an outsider for the Democratic National Committee. He served on the committee from 1968 to 1980 serving as Chairman of the Rules Committee in 1976. Mr. Samuel had the New Jersey Abortion Law declared unconstitutional and then turned the case over the Women's Legal Movement at Rutgers. The U. S. Supreme Court cited Mr. Samuel's case and argument in its decision on Roe v. Wade.
Mr. Samuel was also a philanthropist supporting causes here and in Israel. A day care center was built in the Town of Kadima in Israel in memory of his Mother and Aunt. Mr. Samuel is a past president of the JCC of Central New Jersey, the YM-YWHA of Union County and the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey. Mr. Samuel, together with his family, traveled to Israel many times and eventually helped foster business relationships between Israeli and U.S. investors. He was strongly committed to Israel and the values and principles of that nation. Mr. Samuel together with his wife helped raise millions of dollars for the local and international Jewish communities. He was also responsible for helping to raise funds to settle Soviet Jews in our local community. He traveled several times to the Soviet Union to meet with refuseniks and also to travel with Soviet Jews leaving that country and relocating to Israel.

Mr. Samuel was very involved in his local community. He served as the Democratic Municipal Chairman for several years always keeping abreast of what was going on in the Township. He was a Vice President of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Chapter of Unico National and a member of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Club. He was also a member of the Union County Democratic Committee. He was an active member of Congregation Beth Israel and enjoyed services and other activities there. Mr. Samuel loved Scotch Plains and enjoyed many happy years here as a resident.

Mr. Samuel was a well-respected Patent Attorney. He began his career with Western Electric and then moved to Bell Labs. He left there in 1970 to join a local firm where he eventually became a partner. Mr. Samuel represented, Gordon Gould, the inventor of the Laser. He also represented the inventor of the MRI and many other important projects. He enjoyed his work so much that it was never really work.

Mr. Samuel loved his family and loved to travel. He traveled to Israel more than 50 times with his wife and children. Mr. Samuel enjoyed the different cultures of the countries he visited and always learned while he was there. A civil war history buff, Mr. Samuel has traveled to most Civil War battlefields taking pictures of his daughters sitting on canons at each site. In addition to his wife and children, Mr. Samuel leaves behind many nieces and nephews as well as three grandchildren, Jesse, Mollie and Sherman Goldblum.

The funeral will take place at Congregation Beth Israel @ 1pm on Monday March 21,2010, 18 Shalom Way, Scotch Plains, New Jersey. Donations may be made to the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad, The JFK Medical Center Foundation or the YM-YWHA of Union County. Arrangements by the Rossi Funeral Home Scotch Plains. Letters of condolence may