Joseph Sichel Blank Jr.

1918 - 2020
BLANK, JOSEPH S. JR. - 101. April 8, 2020. Joseph, fondly known as Buddy, was the loving husband of Blanche (deceased 2003); proud father of devoted daughters Laura, Barbara, and Alice, and their partners Mitchell Schlansky, Barry Shapiro, and David Udell; grandfather of Alexander Simkin (Alessandra Simkin), Zachary Simkin (Sara Simkin), and Julia Udell; great-grandfather of Archer Simkin and Veronica Simkin; and step-grandfather and step-great-grandfather of Daniel Shapiro, Robyn Shapiro, Joseph Camberari, and Sofia Camberari. A graduate of James Madison High School, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University, Buddy belonged to the Greatest Generation and served as a Captain and psychologist for the 83rd Infantry Division, crossing the English Channel and landing on Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy on D-Day plus 13. After the war, Buddy became a leader in men's retail as the second-generation owner of the family neckwear business, J.S. Blank & Co., and board member of the Men's Neckwear Division of the UJA. An avid art enthusiast, he took great pleasure in his personal collection and served on the board of the Neuberger Museum of Art. Buddy was a pianist, poet, and magician. He loved tennis, swimming, and most importantly, hosting warm gatherings through the decades at his home, "Casablanka." In recent years, Buddy especially loved and appreciated Pauline Brown and Carine Tyce, whose care for him made a profound difference in his life. Always a perfect gentleman, he will be missed by his family and by all whose lives he touched. As Buddy would say, "It's been a grand affair!"