LARRY ADLER

1938 - 2020

ADLER Larry Adler (Age 81) Lovingly gregarious media entrepreneur, Larry Woolf Adler, passed away peacefully at his Bethesda, MD home on October 18, 2020 from complex natural causes. The lifelong medical marvel, with his signature sense of humor, endearing charm, matching suspenders, and twinkling eyes was "collecting smiles" up until his demise.

Mr. Adler is sorely missed by his many friends and a large, warm family who loved him dearly. Family members include: his beloved spouse of 60 years, Ruthlee Figlure Adler; his cherished children, Laurie Kaye Adler (David Asch), Moshe Mark Adler, and Joy Adler Skiest (Jonathan); his devoted sister Janet Roslyn Adler (Philip Buller); his adored granddaughters Nora and Emma; and a long list of other close relatives.

Born December 18, 1938 and raised in small town Frankfort, Indiana, as the doted firstborn of the late artist Roslyn (Posy) Woolf Adler and late WWII Navy veteran and businessman Leon Sidney Adler, Larry was originally named Laurence. When he was young his family had their own clothing stores, Adler's, and were one of only two Jewish families in town. His memorable teenage years included running track and cross country despite living with a ruptured appendix for much of his childhood. Among his favorite first jobs was working for Hugh's, with its eleven stools, famous for peanut butter slathered burgers. He graduated from Indiana University in 1960, the same year he married his wife in her home state of Missouri. An active ZBT fraternity man known for his jokes, his brothers pranked him by moving his VW bug into the dining hall to serve him breakfast in his car one morning. He wrote an entertaining record column called "Woolf's Wax" and published an irreverent campus magazine called "View of IU." His hijinks were as famous as his romantic devotion to his wife; with his remote restaurant wedding proposal, "Will you marry me?" spelled out on a cake.

Mr. Adler began his storied career in publishing in New York City working for magazines and books, including McCall's, Redbook, and Little Golden Books. At Western Publishing Company he published Golden Magazine for Boys and Girls and licensed/merchandised products from "Little Lulu" and other well-known 1960s/1970s characters. A Little Golden Books float made its debut in the Macy's Day parade during Adler's reign. He produced "Toy Fair News," one of the first NYC cable television programs. His three children fondly remember his gifting them sample Gund stuffed animals, toys, and books, and handing out comic books to trick or treaters. Active in early cable television, he founded and presided over Bergen Cablevision.

In 1974 Mr. Adler moved his family from Tenafly, NJ to Bethesda, MD to become Publisher of The Washingtonian magazine, where he doubled circulation, quadrupled sales, and increased advertising to place the magazine in the top 20 consumer magazines. He also created, founded, and directed the City and Regional Magazine Association and Washingtonian Books, garnering a listing in Who's Who in America. Mr. Adler was such a DC name that a family of raccoons surreptitiously nesting in his family's home made the celebrity column in The Washington Post. The Adler five all played roles in the founding of the DC Capital Children's Museum and he served as Board President and Treasurer. Upon leaving The Washingtonian, he consulted for other magazines and acted as President of the American Program Bureau before starting The Adler Companies in 1980.

Adler Media executive-produced and distributed thousands of TV documentaries world-wide, providing The Discovery Channel with much-needed programming during its first year of operation. Along with other ventures, Adler Enterprises executive-produced and owned the star-studded Jazz at the Smithsonian series, the first programs produced live at the Baird Auditorium, which he later donated to the Library of Congress.

In his retirement years Mr. Adler, a man with multiple passions, operated his classic first edition/rare book business, Prime Editions, as a dealer and collector with an emphasis on children's books. He was respected as a bibliophile and audio/video appraiser. A lifelong avid reader and library lover, he was an active member of the Board of the Friends of Connie Morella Library in Bethesda, raising large sums of money for the library by orchestrating the auctioning of rare book donations. Mr. and Mrs. Adler volunteered as weekend house managers at The Children's Inn at NIH. Boyhood trips to Wisconsin prompted an adult love of lakes and fishing (wearing his button-bedecked Tilley hat). Other pastimes included old classic movies, puzzles, travel and time with family and friends, trains, the Indy 500 (which he mapped out each year), Washington sports teams, card games, slot machines, and sharing laughs, especially with children, since he was a child at heart. As a certified Life Coach, he mentored all ages with his spot-on guidance. He was affectionately dubbed "mayor" of his close-knit Bethesda neighborhood.

To celebrate Mr. Adler's life, all devotees are encouraged to read library books; embrace positivity, sarcasm, and the color purple; care more about others than themselves; celebrate children of all ages; volunteer in their communities; and eat chocolate chip cookies, sweet treats, and half sour pickles. As per his wishes, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Friends of the Library Connie Morella Chapter In Memory of Larry Adler, P.O. Box 30316, Bethesda, MD, 20824. Donations will be used to benefit the Connie Morella Branch of Montgomery County Public Libraries and fund a library seating arrangement in Mr. Adler's honor, for those who wish to sit and read or share stories while remembering Mr. Adler counseling them, "Don't behave."