David Rothschild II

David Rothschild II January 10, 1921 - November 10, 2009 COLUMBUS, GA— David Rothschild II, 88, died on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 in Columbus, GA after fighting cancer for over 20 years. He was born on January 10, 1921 in Columbus GA to parents Aleen Samuels Rothschild and Irwin Bernard Rothschild. He was a friend of, and an advocate for, public education, believing that improving the quality of education was the best way to try to eliminate poverty in our community. He served 20 years on the Muscogee County School Board, first for 15 years as a member appointed by the Muscogee County Grand Jury (1960 Ð 1975) and later for 5 years on the first elected school board (1995 to 2000). He also was selected to the first appointed Muscogee County Library Board and served two years into his second term before resigning. He also represented Muscogee County on the Regional Library Board. Enlisting in the army at Fort Benning in1943, he retired from active duty in 1946 as a Captain, after serving in Headquarters in the European Theatre during World War II, earning a bronze star and a battle star for Northern France and 2 citation ribbons. He was a graduate of Columbus High School (1937), University of Virginia (BS Commerce 1941), a compressed Harvard Graduate Business School program while in the army, and Yale Law School (1947). He joined the Georgia Bar in 1947. He enjoyed the free enterprise system, serving as owner, President and Chairman of the Board of David Rothschild Co., Inc., a manufacturer of decorative fabrics serving the furniture industry. David also developed student housing serving Columbus State University students. He had a brief career as co-founder of a TV broadcasting company which brought to Columbus the third TV network, NBC on Channel 38. For many years he served on the local board of the First National Bank and its subsequent bank boards. Active in educational, cultural, religious and race-relations organizations, he was a member of the School Council of Rothschild Middle School, which is a Partner in Education with David Rothschild Co., and served on the Board of Muscogee Excellence Foundation, the Board of the Literacy Alliance, the Advisory Board of the John B. Amos Cancer Center, and the Board of Trustees of Temple Israel, where he was the treasurer for many years. He was deeply involved in the School Superintendent's Community Round Table and the Partners in Education Board. The educational committee for the Greater Chamber of Commerce, of which he was a member, campaigned to promote the GED tests, and Columbus became the first Literacy Community in Georgia. His support for cultural and arts organizations included the Columbus Museum, the National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus, the Historic Columbus Foundation, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Springer Opera House, the River Center, and the Performing Arts Center. He was a 32¼ Scottish Rite Mason and an active member of the Columbus Rotary Club, the Friday Friars, the Green Island Country Club, the Chattahoochee River Club, and One Columbus (race relations breakfast). He is survived by his loving family: his wife of almost 60 years, Barbara Galeski Rothschild; his children Aleen Rothschild-Seidel and husband Jurgen Seidel of Bethesda, MD, David Rothschild III of Columbus, Walter G. Rothschild and wife Cynthia B. Rothschild of Winston-Salem, NC, and John L. Rothschild of Elkridge, MD; and three grandchildren, Alexander P. Rothschild, Kathleen Barbara Rothschild, and Philip R. Seidel. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Eva Pound Rothschild; his brother Irwin B. Rothschild, Jr. and his wife Barbara Fingerhut Rothschild of Los Angeles, CA; his sister Matile Rothschild of San Francisco, CA; and many cousins, nieces and nephews, including Ann R. Kingsbury and husband John Kingsbury and their family. Funeral services will be held at Temple Israel on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 10:00 a.m., 1617 Wildwood Ave., Columbus GA 31906 and a very brief service at Riverdale Cemetery will follow for those wishing to join the family, according to Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Macon Road Chapel. Contributions can be made to a charity of your choice or to: Rothschild Library Technology Fund Attn: Columbus Library Foundation 3000 Macon Rd Columbus, GA 31906 Temple Israel Operating Trust Fund PO Box 5086 Columbus, GA 31906 Muscogee Education Excellence Foundation Endowment Fund 214 10th Street, Ste A Columbus, GA 31901