Arthur J. Kobacker

Kobacker , Arthur J., age 83, formerly of Columbus, OH died at his residence in Boca Raton, FL, on the 12th of July 2007. He was a graduate of the Columbus Academy (1941) and Yale University (1945), and served as a Lt. JG in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Art incorporated the Kobacker Shoe Company and, in 1960, opened his first shoe store. The business grew to 700 self-service shoe stores in 32 states. In Columbus, he was the recipient of many honorary degrees and awards including Humanitarian awards from Temple Israel, Sertoma, Ronald McDonald House, and Columbus Education Assn., and was honored by Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, U.S. Peace Corps Partners for Peace, and the Columbus Foundation. He was the President of Children's Hospital and a member of the Young Presidents Organization and the Advisory Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. For many years, Art was passionately interested and active in the economic issues of African communities, and worked to help develop and implement programs to assist African peoples in achieving prosperity and health. In Florida, he was a Trustee of the Urban League of Palm Beach Co. and the United Way of Palm Beach County. He also served on the Board of the National Foundation of Alternative Medicine. He was also a former Trustee of the Ohio Humanities Council, Columbus College of Art and Design, Life Care Alliance, Heritage House, United Way of Franklin Co., Council for Ethics in Economics, Governor's Commission on Educational Choice, Columbus Museum of Art, Boy Scouts of America, Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Affordable Health Council, Private Industry Council of Franklin Co., Franklin University, Columbus Academy, Temple Israel (Columbus, OH), American Red Cross of Jefferson Co., OH and the American Cancer Society. Art was a former Director of the Lionel Corporation and co-founder of Dollars for Scholars in Steubenville, OH. In 1997, Art and Sara Jo, his wife, donated to the United Way of Palm Beach County, FL, the largest gift in its history. Art, Sara Jo, their son Alfred, and Niki Kobacker made a substantial gift to Hospice at Riverside Hospital and as a result, a state-of-the-art residential hospice facility was built and named Kobacker House. The Kobacker Company participated in the Adopt-A-School program with an inner-city elementary school in Columbus. Mr. Kobacker's gift to "I Know I Can" helped ensure that no Columbus high school graduate would be prevented from going to college due to a lack of funds. Art was married to Sara Jo Borisky 58 years ago and they have a daughter, Peggy Kobacker (David) Shiffrin, of Washington, D.C.; a son, Alfred J. Kobacker, II, of Columbus, OH; grandchildren Aronson and Miriam Kobacker and Laura and Carrie Shiffrin; a brother James (Barbara) Kobacker. Art is also survived by his dear friend Roy Pollard, Jr. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred and Ida Kobacker, and his sister, Regina ("Genee") Kobacker Fadiman. Family will receive friends from 4 to 7pm, on Sunday July 15, 2007 at the Schoedinger Midtown Chapel, 229 E. State St., Columbus. Funeral service will be Monday, July 16, 2007 at 10am at Temple Israel, 5419 East Broad St., Columbus, Rabbi Emily Rosenzweig officiating. Interment at Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus. A memorial service will be held in Boca Raton, FL, in the fall. Contributions in his memory may be made to United Way of Palm Beach County, 2600 Quantum Blvd., Boynton Beach, FL 33426, Village Academy, 2455 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33445, or the Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, Florida 33432.