Robert Joel Neuman

Robert (Bob) Joel Neuman passed away in his beloved New York City on March 6, 2024, on his 85th birthday. He died from complications of pneumonia and COVID.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Rosenstein Neuman, his parents, Hyman and Martha (Atlas) Neuman and by his brother, Harry Jay Neuman. He is survived by his two daughters and their husbands, Marni Neuman Pearce (Kevin) and Cheryl Neuman Meltzer (Michael), his granddaughter, Hanna Gail Pearce, and by his niece, Beth Rosenstein Cole.

Born in 1939 in Philadelphia, Bob showed a proclivity for prose and the arts at an early age. He often traced the origins of his five-decades in advertising to the age of 13, watching his father and his father's work colleagues creating ads in his family's living room for their liquor company. He graduated from Penn State in 1961 with a journalism degree, and eventually moved to New York City where he would make his mark in the golden age of advertising. From 1966-2013, he worked at WB Donor, Ogilvy & Mather, Backer & Spielvogel and Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB), holding the titles of Copywriter, Creative Director, and Executive Creative Director.

Bob was a pure wordsmith through and through. He expressed so much in so few words. It was his super power. His successes in TV commercials included the iconic John Houseman Smith Barney ad, "They make money the old fashioned way; They earn it", as well as many American Express "Do You Know Me" ads and many domestic and international Oreo ads. He was also an inspiring mentor to many in the advertising field. He never stopped writing-whether it was an observation in the New York Times Metropolitan Diaries (Waiting on a Star) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/14/nyregion/metropolitan-diary.html, or poignant poetry that expressed his frustrations with aging, and zeal for life.

Ann, Bob's wife of 60 years, was often the first editor on his work, his biggest cheerleader, and most important confidant. Ann and Bob grew up near each other in Philadelphia and became high school sweethearts. During his younger years, Bob often struggled with his feelings of self worth. It was through his relationship with Ann that Bob grew into a more confident person who was able to chase his dreams of making it in advertising in NYC. He took great pride in his two daughters, Marni and Cheryl, and their husbands, Kevin and Michael. He was over the moon when he became Grandpa to Hanna. It was Ann who kept the family talking, but it was Bob who kept them laughing with his funny voices and silly antics. He loved them all deeply.

Bob was a lover of life. He embraced life fully, even in the face of many physical challenges. He loved good food, all kinds of music, theater, and travel.

Finding good restaurants was Bob's specialty. He could pick a highly rated restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or find a hole in the wall that served a good martini and a rare burger. Bob also found joy in all types of music. Seeing live music stirred his soul and opened his heart. During his retirement, he made a point of going to as many concerts as he could; it didn't matter whether they were at Lincoln Center or in a library or community center- -- he would be there. Travel was also an essential part of Bob's being. He traveled the world many times over and thoroughly savored every bit of the planning process. He was always living to plan the next trip. His trip to Barcelona in November 2022 was quite an accomplishment; London was next on his list.

Anyone who knew Bob knew of his love affair with New York City. The city's vibrancy mirrored his own zest for life. Bob's move back to the Upper West Side in January 2024 made it possible for him to spend his last few months in the city that always felt like home to him.

Bob made an indelible impression on those he met. People were naturally drawn to him because of his quiet compassion, his sheer determination, his wit, his iconic cigar and his joie de vivre in everything he did. Bob will be hugely missed and the enormity of his presence will never be matched.

May he rest in peace with music in his soul. He earned it.

Contributions may be made in Bob's memory to The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of Illinois https://www.myastheniagravis.org/ or to Seeds of Peace https://www.seedsofpeace.org/