Burton Axelrod

Burton Axelrod

April 20, 1927 - April 16, 2019

Burton Axelrod died surrounded by family early in the morning of April 16th, 2019, four days from his 92nd birthday.

Burt was born to Rae and Max Axelrod of Brooklyn New York in 1927. He was the baby in the family, with older brothers Stuart and Marshall.

He served in the Merchant Marines from 1945-1947 and also served as a cryptographer with the 25th Signal Company in the Korean War.

He made his way west to San Francisco, where he met Mary Stein. They married in 1960; Burt and Mary had their daughter Katherine Marie. When their union ended Burt met Georgene Janice Small; whose lives were shared for over 50 years, Burt and Georgene had two daughters, Melissa Clair Star and Chloe Marvel Light.

Not only a beloved husband and father, Burt was a Wall Street stock trader, a rubber importer, a Xerox salesman, and as Burt Axelrod & Company, a teak importer. He retired in 2007, at age 80, and promptly reshingled the back of the house. He loved his weekly Irish coffees at the Buena Vista, walks around Stow Lake, sitting on the back deck with the sun on his face, and any reason to pop a bottle of champagne. People gravitated to him and he simply and always just enjoyed the life he created with the people he loved.

Handsome to the end Burt had a smile that closed his eyes with delight and a curious mind that accumulated wisdom as well as facts.

He is loved and missed by his wife, Georgene, daughters Katie, Melissa, and Chloe, sons-in-law Semih and William, and his grandchildren Kyle, Lily, and Elodie. As well as the rest of his family, friends, and all that knew him.

His face, carved like driftwood,
And eyes glinting with glee like the sun
Are missed