HAROLD SHAMES

SHAMES--Harold. Harold Shames, businessman, philanthropist, and storyteller, died peacefully at his home in Dobbs Ferry, NY on December 26, 2024, just shy of turning 101. Born January 23, 1924, in Norfolk, VA, to immigrant parents Max and Lena (Pomerantz), he was a lifelong New Yorker, graduating from Morris High School and City College ('44). After earning a masters degree in engineering from Case Institute of Technology, Harold returned to NY in 1950 to co-lead Melard Manufacturing, with his brother, earning multiple patents and industry acclaim. A dedicated civic leader, he served as Ardsley Trustee and was active in UJA- Federation, among other charitable causes. A devoted alum of City College, he endowed a chair in the Biomedical Engineering Program. Through their generosity, the Harold and Elaine Shames JCC on the Hudson was able to expand its campus and capacity. Harold loved skiing, tennis, and the arts. His first marriage to Sandra Vogel Nagelberg ended in divorce in 1959. His second wife, Elaine (Pincus), to whom he was married for 55 years, died in 2018. He is predeceased by his siblings Frances, Ann (Weiss), Sydney, and Ethel, and is survived by his children Mitchell, Risa (Neil), stepchildren Barbara Livenstein and Harry Livenstein, and grandchildren Will (Gioia), Nate, Isabel, and Danny. His optimism lives on in his advice: "Keep your weight on the downhill ski."