STEVEN W. SIEGEL died early Saturday morning, 21 January 2012, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. He would have been 66 on Feb. 23.

                                            

Funeral, Monday, Jan. 23rd at 10AM at the Plaza Memorial Chapel,

630 Amsterdam Avenue, (91st Street) in Manhattan (www.plazajewishcommunitychapel.org/).

Please direct condolences in care of Steve’s mother, Mrs. Eleanor Siegel,
9511 Weldon Circle – Apt 302, Tamarac, Florida 33321.

 

Steve was a dear friend and mentor to countless Jewish genealogists. A founding member of the Jewish Genealogical Society, Inc. (NY) and an original member of the JGS Executive Council, he served as JGS president from 1985 to 1989 and again in 2011. He was the only founding member of the JGS who served on the JGS Executive Board from its inception in 1977 to now. He served on the Center for Jewish History's Genealogy Task Force which helped establish the Center's Genealogy Institute.

Steve was also active in the wider genealogical and archival communities. A professional archivist and librarian, he worked for many years as library director at the 92nd Street YM-YWHA in Manhattan. He was past president of the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York and initiated New York's annual Family History Fair, an event that he chaired for 16 years. Steve was the 2004 recipient of the Archival Achievement award in recognition of his management of the Fair for so many years.

A proficient writer and editor, Steve was co-founder and co-editor of "Toledot: The Journal of Jewish Genealogy," from 1977 to 1983, and served as managing editor and acting editor of JGS's newsletter, Dorot. He also compiled Archival Resources, Volume I of Jewish Immigrants of the Nazi Period in the USA (Saur, 1978) and, with Zachary Baker, "A Bibliography of Eastern European Memorial (Yizkor) Books" (1992).

Steve was president of the Jewish Historical Society of New York, a director of the Jewish Book Council, and a member of Association of Professional Genealogists. A proud Cornell alumnus, he served on the Board of Trustees of Cornell University Hillel and on the Cornell University Council. He recently received the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award for 2011.

Steve was a native of New Jersey -- he was born in Union City and grew up in Teaneck -- but he lived on Manhattan's upper East Side for many years. Beloved son of Eleanor Simon Siegel and the late Morris Siegel, he is also survived by his brother, Jerry Siegel; sister, Connie Siegel Dennis and nieces Jessica and Katelyn Dennis. Steve's life partner for 29 years, Rob Selden, died in 2008.

May his memory be as a blessing.

 

Roni Seibel Liebowitz

President, JGS, Inc. (NY)

President@JGSNY.org

To make a gift anyone can use any of the following options – and for each one – please make sure to note that it is in memory of Steven Siegel.

Mail a check (made out to Cornell University with Cornell Hillel.
IMO Steven Siegel in the memo line or attached note) to:
Cornell University
Box 223623
Pittsburgh, PA 15251-2623

To make a gift by phone, call our Annual Fund office at: 1-800-279-3099 and mention that the gift is directed to Cornell Hillel in memory of Steven Siegel.

Or, to make a gift online, click on the link below:

https://www.giving.cornell.edu/give/ and in “Other” Section, “Cornell Hillel” can be noted along with indication of it being in memory of Steven Siegel.