Melvin T. Goldberger

Goldberger, Melvin T., died Thursday, November 27th in Dayton, OH, with family by his side. Melvin was born June 6, 1919, to Harry and Grace Reich Goldberger in Knoxville, Tennessee. At the age of sixteen he was accepted to The Ohio State University. After graduation he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army during WWII, where he met the love of his life, Betty K. Goldberger, in Asheville, NC. After the war, he returned and built a successful plumbing and electrical supply company, and later became a real estate developer in Knoxville, TN. Melvin built university housing, hotels, and business offices. As a community volunteer he supervised the building of Reform Jewish temples in both Knoxville, TN, and Boca Raton, FL. He served on many charitable boards including, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Mae Volen Senior Citizen Center, and the Florida Philharmonic. Melvin donated his time and services to build facilities for the YMCA, the Mae Volen Senior Citizen Center, and a Drug Rehabilitation Center. In addition to his business and philanthropic work, Melvin's greatest legacy was his family. He taught them the true meaning of love. Melvin lived a life filled with joy. Melvin is survived by his wife, Betty K. Goldberger; daughters and sons-in-law, Diane and Peter Zwickau, Susan and Joe Gruenberg, and Margy and Otis Hurst; grandchildren: Mark and Angela Gruenberg, Lori and Jonathan Roth, Stephanie Korn and Scott Mann, Daniel Korn, Phillip Hurst, Olaf and Susan Zwickau, Holger and Kristen Zwickau; and ten great-grandchildren. The family will hold private services. To honor his memory, in lieu of flowers, contributions in Melvin's name may be made to Temple Beth El, 333 SW 4th Ave., Boca Raton, FL 33432, (561) 368-6121 or Mae Volen Senior Center, 1515 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486, 561-395-8920.