Julian Block

July 8, 1934 - June 10, 2023

Near the end of his life, Julian Block told those around him that he "could not have asked for a better life," expressing the joy he experienced from his family and his career.

Born in Chicago in 1934 to Lithuanian Jewish immigrants Nathan and Ruth Block, Julian and his family lived behind the small grocery store that they owned on the west side of Chicago. He graduated from DePaul University with a law degree and from New York University Graduate Law School with a master of laws degree in taxation, and served in the U.S. Army from 1956-1957.

Julian met his wife, Zelda (Miller) Block, in 1964 on a hike along the C&O Canal in Washington, DC, joined by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas and organized by the American Youth Hostels, for whom Zelda was working at the time. They enjoyed 58 years of marriage. They settled in Larchmont, NY, where they lived for 48 years and raised two children, Robert and Nadine, before moving to Portland, OR, in 2022 to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Julian was an avid swimmer, ensuring he was in the pool practically every day until age 88. He was a lifelong learner who had a particular interest in history and classic movies, putting his encyclopedic knowledge to good use as a three-day champion on Jeopardy in 1967 and to best his family and friends at Trivial Pursuit. He participated for decades in a Saturday morning Torah study program at Larchmont Temple.

Julian started his career as a criminal investigator for the IRS. He went on to become a nationally recognized tax attorney who wrote articles for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Money Magazine, and others, and published books aimed at helping people save on personal taxes. He made multiple appearances on the Today Show, where host Bryant Gumbel noted that his "insights are always great fare and with a talent for simplifying the complications of tax work." He was an active member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the New York Financial Writers Association.

Julian is survived by his wife, Zelda; son Robert Block (Letty); daughter Nadine Block (Patrick Vennebush); grandsons Alexander and Elijah Vennebush; brother-in-law Harvey Miller (Eleanor); nieces Natalie Mendelsohn, Erin Miller (Seana), Alyson Miller-Foulk (Mary), and Rachel Miller; and nephew Fred Zeller (Bette Popik). Julian was predeceased by his sisters, Lillian Iglitz and Marilyn Block.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in his memory to The 92nd Street Y, the Israel Religious Action Center, or other organizations that support the arts, democracy, or education.