Bertram Shaftel

Marlboro - Bertram (Bert) Shaftel died peacefully at his home in Marlboro, NJ, on July 9, 2025-two months shy of his 98th birthday.

Throughout his long life, Bert was cherished by many family and friends for the love and humor he consistently shared with them.

Bert was born to Eastern European Jewish immigrants, Morris and Edith (Goldaber) Shaftel, and grew up on Maple Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. His teenage years largely revolved around football, where he played both offensive and defensive line for the Tilden Blue and Gray.

At 18, he was drafted into the United States Army to serve the country he loved.

Shortly after being drafted, while taking a class at Kings College, he met fellow student Florette Kirsch. The two quickly fell in love. Bert wrote Florette letters while he was away in the military, promising her an amazing future together when he returned.

In 1949, Bert and Florette married, and soon after had two children, Michael and Joni.

Bert and Florette were married for nearly 60 years, until her passing in 2008. Their relationship was one of deep love and enduring friendship.

After the Army, Bert briefly pursued his passion for photography, working as a press photographer for major outlets such as The New York Times. Ultimately, his photography career was short-lived, giving way to what would become a successful career in the gas and car rental industries.

During the 1960s and '70s, Bert owned one of Brooklyn's busiest gas stations, located at the corner of East New York Avenue and East 98th Street. He also owned several National Car Rental franchises.

In the 1990s, he founded Arrow Rents and became a top supplier of vehicles to New York-based law enforcement agencies, including the ATF, DEA, and NYPD. Bert took enormous pride in the role he played in helping make New York City a safer place.

Throughout his entrepreneurial career, Bert never lost sight of his ultimate priority-his family. He was an active grandparent in the lives of all six of his grandchildren. "Poppi," as they called him, took "the kids" up and down the East Coast on road trips and frequently into New York City. Car shows, Broadway plays, baseball games, and the circus were just some of the outings he organized.

As he grew older, his family grew with him. "The kids" spread out across the country, but his presence in their lives never faded. Poppi formed a special bond with his seven great-grandchildren, who quickly came to admire him in the same way so many others had throughout his long life.

Bert is survived by his two children: Michael, of Interlaken, NJ, and Joni (Arnie), of Boynton Beach, FL.

He also leaves behind his six grandchildren: Robbie (Lauren), of Fair Haven, NJ; Melyssa (Alan), of Boynton Beach, FL; Rachel, of West Delray Beach, FL; Jennifer (Jeff), of Hillsdale, NJ; Lexi, of Boston, MA; and Morgan, of West Long Branch, NJ.

Bert was also blessed to know and adore his seven great-grandchildren: Kayla, Jacob, Ryan, Farrah, Dylan, Paige, and Evan.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of nearly 60 years, Florette; his parents, Morris and Edith; and his younger sister, Eileen.

A memorial service will be held Monday, July 14, at 9:00 AM at Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapel, Ocean, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Bert's charity of choice: the Wounded Warrior Foundation.

He was larger than life in many ways, and his impact will live on forever through those he loved.