ROSALIND JACOBS

1925 - 2020

JACOBS--Rosalind Gersten. June 9, 1925 - December 21, 2019, New York City. A former vice president and Fashion Director for Macy's, Roz Jacobs broke the glass ceiling for women, becoming one of the first female senior executives in the retail industry during the 1960s. As beautiful and fashionable as she was brilliant and creative, Roz was considered one of New York's chicest women for decades. A graduate of Hunter High School and Hunter College, Roz was the consummate New Yorker, serving on boards or otherwise involved in organizations supporting the arts and arts education, including Learning Through Art at the Guggenheim, Merce Cunningham Dance, and MoMA, among others. Her unique style and keen eye made her an early supporter of Surrealist art, becoming a lifelong friend and muse to Man Ray, whom she met on a buying trip for Macy's in 1954. She was married to Melvin Jacobs (former Vice Chairman of Federated Department Stores and Chairman, Saks Fifth Avenue) in 1957 until his passing in 1993. They passionately collected the work of the Surrealists simply for the love of art and for the love of the artists, inadvertently creating what has become recognized as a museum-worthy collection. Her greatest joy was her grandchildren, Molly and Eli (Learner) and William and George (Bader), who adored her in return. In addition to her grandchildren, she is survived by her loving daughter Peggy (Jacobs Bader) and son-in-law John (Bader); her nieces and nephews Mark, Marie, and Steven (Greenbaum), Paula (Farbman), Richard, Ethan, and Michael (Farbman), and Karen and Marty (Rudolph); her cousin, Alan (Cordan); and her god- daughters, Linda (Zelenko), Kathy (Deane) and Wendy (Grossman). In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Learning Through Art Program at the Guggenheim Museum and to Hunter College. A celebration of life will be take place at a later date.