Elliot R. Halpern

1939 - 2023

Elliot R. Halpern was born in New Orleans, LA on August 17, 1939. He was the third of four children born to Max and Lee "Libby" Halpern. He grew up loving jazz, food, and sports. Following his graduation from the Wharton School of Business in 1962, his family's fabric business led him to working in the garment district in Manhattan. After leaving the garment industry, Elliot worked as the Controller for the Thrift Drug division of JC Penney in Pittsburgh, PA. When he came to California, in the 1970s, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to start an ice cream business in Mendocino, CA. Elliot then sold equipment for Medical Systems Engineering, Associates. In the early 1990s, Elliot started and ran his own successful tax practice, EH Associates, in Albany, CA, for over 30 years.

Elliot was always involved in his children's schools. He was instrumental in providing support for the music programs in the schools they attended. He was particularly supportive of the Berkeley Arts Magnet Elementary School and the Berkeley High School Jazz Band.

He and his wife Linda enjoyed nearly 35 years of marriage. Together they traveled to five continents and were regular attendees at jazz festivals throughout the Bay Area, and the world. They both enjoyed family, friends, jazz, theater, art, books, hiking, poker and traveling. Both Linda and Elliot were community activists, equally committed to achieving civil rights and justice for all. Up to his last weeks of life, Elliot engaged with local, and national political issues. He served on the Boards of the Berkeley NAACP Chapter and the local and regional ACLU. He also played a significant role on many committees and commissions in Berkeley, and was very influential in establishing police accountability policies.

Elliot was a true justice warrior and a loving friend, father, grandfather, uncle and husband. Always dignified, elegant, respectful and helpful to others-and handsome to the end-he will be missed by all who were lucky enough to know him. True to form and style, Elliot made his transition on Tax Day, April 15, 2023. Elliot was predeceased by his brother, Alvin Halpern. He will be cherished in memory by his loving wife Linda; his sister Sandra Paillet; his brother Herbert Halpern; his daughter Rana Halpern; two stepsons, Chris (Andi) and Jami; grandchildren Owen, Dylan, Cameron and Naya; and many close friends. His Memorial will be held at 11:00 am on June 2, 2023, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Road, Kensington CA 94707. Contributions can be made to Youth Spirit ArtWorks at https://youthspiritartworks.org/donate/.