Morton Jaffe

1930 - 2022

Morton Jaffe passed away May 5, 2022, at the age of 91 years. He was born in Chicago August 2, 1930 to the late Harry and Bessie Jaffe (nee Wolf), and was raised in Elgin. He was predeceased by his beloved brother Lewis (Stenka) and stepson, Jeffrey Schaffer. Mort is survived and adored by his wife of almost 20 years, Barbara Schaffer, his son Robert Jaffe, stepdaughters Jacqueline Schaffer-Bochner (Bruce) and Jayne Krulewitch (Jerome), his nieces Sandra Jaffe Siegel (Richard) and Susan Saxon, nephews Harry Jaffe (Karen Srill-Jaffe), Bruce Saxon and Daniel Saxon (Maritza Urrutia), grandchildren Kadie Jaffe, Leonard Jaffe, David Bochner (Brenda), Alexandra Krulewitch, Jack Krulewitch, Carson Krulewitch, grand-nephews Luke Jaffe and Joshua Siegel, and grand-nieces Danielle Jaffe and Sara Saxon-Remmler. After graduating from high school in Elgin, Illinois, Mort entered University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business at age 16. After graduation, he served as an Air Force First Lieutenant in California during the Korean War. Mort returned to Chicago and received a law degree from DePaul University and later a real estate broker's license. Most of his career was in real estate management. Mort had a passion for archeology and history. He was a member of the Chicago Archeology Society and a volunteer docent at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute. Mort was active for 20 years in Northwestern University's Osher Lifetime Learning Institute, where he met and fell in love with his future wife, Barbara Schaffer, after enrolling in a course that she was leading. After marrying in 2002, Mort and Barb continued to participate in and lead, sometimes together, courses on a wide range of topics, such as domestic and foreign affairs, biographical themes, film, or music genres. They also enjoyed attending Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts, and the Grant Park Music and Humanities Festivals, often with friends. Most of all, Mort loved being with family. Mort documented his family genealogy and memories. He loved to regale others with stories, for example, of his Jaffe family's life in Krekenava, a small Lithuanian shtetl, their difficult immigration to the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century, and the obstacles that they overcame, first in Iowa, and then in Illinois after they arrived. His family will keep the stories alive. Services and interment will be private. Donations may be made to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation at https://www.macular.org. Arrangements entrusted to Lakeshore Jewish Funerals, 773-625-8621