Herman Liebenson

1925 - 2025

Herman Liebenson
Herman Liebenson passed away on July 20, 2025-his 100th birthday. Born in New York City, he was the beloved husband of Bessie Liebenson for 74 years. He will be remembered for his extraordinary warmth, unwavering devotion to family, and compassion toward friends in times of both joy and hardship. Herman had a natural gift for humor and could captivate a room well into his 90s with his endless supply of stories and jokes.
His entrepreneurial spirit emerged early. As a boy, he launched a shoeshine business, boldly charging a dime when others charged a nickel-promising a better shine and always delivering. Beginning in third grade, he helped his father run the family's newsstand six days a week until he joined the U.S. Navy.
During World War II, Herman served as a Navy corpsman in the South Pacific with the Third Marine Signal Battalion on Guadalcanal. He was deeply grateful that the G.I. Bill paid for him to attend NYU-which then made it financially possible for his sister to attend as well.
Herman spent most of his adult life in Stamford, CT, where he was an active member of his temple. He served as Chairman of the Building Fund and President of the Fellowship for Jewish Learning. A weekend tennis player, he was known for occasionally switching hands in a dramatic attempt to reach the ball-more entertaining than effective, but memorable nonetheless.
Professionally, Herman was a pioneer in the TV mail-order business. As co-owner and creative director of V&R Advertising, he created many products, among them music compilations for artists including Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. He led the market in securing discounted airtime by purchasing unsold TV ad slots. Sharing both risk and reward, he and his partner successfully sold their business, enabling Herman to retire in his mid-50s.
Though he enjoyed professional success, Herman always saw himself first as a family man. His love for Bessie was unwavering. When one of his children, age 8, asked who he would save first if their car drove off the George Washington Bridge, his answer was immediate: "Your mother."
In retirement, he served as chauffeur and photographer to facilitate Bessie's post-child-rearing career as a writer for the NY Times. He also regularly took the train from Connecticut to New York City to babysit his two East Coast grandchildren, quickly earning the affectionate title of "Grandpa" from everyone in their classrooms. He was devoted to all eight of his grandchildren and, alongside Bessie, attended every birthday party when the grandchildren were young.
Herman is survived by his wife Bessie and four children: Jeff (Stacey Selden), Diane (Tom Duralde), Nancy (Robert Rex), and Craig (Deannie), his eight grandchildren: Matthew (Blake), Peter (Patrick Roche), Erin, Mark, Catherine (Tom Goed), Rachel, Justine, William Zachary, and two great-grandchildren, Harper and Tessa. He is also survived by his sister, Shirly Sachs, and was predeceased by his sisters, Frances Freiman and Isadora Kornbluh.