David Handler

January 14, 2016, 2:55 pm 0 Edit

HANDLER: On Saturday, January 9, 2016, David Handler passed away peacefully at the age of 97. Beloved husband of the late Claire Lois Labbie Handler and the late Ruth Engelberg Handler. Loving companion of many years to the late Harriet Cohen. Beloved father of Beryl Handler(-Labbie) Rosenberg (Jonathan). Dear brother of the late Murray (the late Ethel) Handler. Devoted, loving grandfather and great-grandfather of Manola Pinto-Handler Marchal (Cary), Sergio Pinto-Handler (Rebecca Machado), Talia Pinto-Handler, Emily Rosenberg, Harry Rosenberg, Jonah Handler, Micayla Handler and Sadie Handler Marchal. Beloved uncle of Dr. Harlan Handler (Eva), Dr. Arden Handler (Robert) of Chicago and other dear nieces and nephews, including Dr. Jay Herman, Barbra Bowman-Labbie (Robert), Sheri Engelberg Sable and Linda Frankston Doernberg (Alan). Dear stepfather and grandfather of Mark Averbach (Pat), and Anne and Alana Averbach of Cleveland, Ohio, and Dr. Richard Averbach (Susan) and David Averbach of Fairfield, Iowa, and Sarah Averbach of San Francisco, Calif. Born and raised on the Lower East Side of New York, David attended the Rabbi Jacob Joseph (RJJ) School, the Talmudical Academy (of Yeshiva College, today YU), Seward Park High School, and the City College of New York (B.B.A., class of ’39). He then completed his M.A. in Economics at the American University in Washington, D.C. While beginning his professional life in D.C. as a statistician with the U.S. Bureau of the Census, David went on to a distinguished government career of over 20 years as an economist, first with the wartime Office of Price Administration and then, for 18 years, in the U.S. Department of State. During the war, David volunteered with the U.S. Coast Guard, patrolling the Potomac River as a Boatswains Mate by night while working at the State Department by day. After the war, David went on to attain senior rank as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service, posted to Guatemala as First Secretary of the U.S. Embassy (1956-1958) and as Commercial Attaché to the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina (1960-1962). David’s involvement in Jewish communal life led to some especially strong friendships made in the Jewish community during his time in Guatemala. When, because of post-war rightsizing, the federal government offered some attractive early retirement packages, David decided to leave the itinerant Foreign Service life and put down roots in Guatemala. There he enjoyed a second career as an industrialist, owning and managing the first polyurethane foam factory in Central America. His energetic love of people and of human cultures was a perfect match with the vibrancy and intensity of Guatemala, where he greatly enjoyed building his business and where he forged deep personal friendships. Two completely unrelated young men in Guatemala today, Asher David Rego Close and Jose Antonio David López Martínez, bear the name David as their parents’ tribute to David Handler’s menschlichkeit and open mind and heart. His dedication to the Jewish community of Guatemala was most evident in his role as one of the founders and early leaders of Congregación Bet-El, as well as in his work with B’nai B’rith Guatemala. After moving to Pittsburgh in 1979, David embraced retirement with gusto, traveling and enjoying a new world of family, social and organizational ties and activities. His love of music, service to others and devotion to Judaism found special expression in his subscription to the Pittsburgh Opera, work with Rotary International and membership in Young People’s Synagogue. David’s love of learning was legendary, from his evening medical school studies “just for fun” at the Universidad de San Carlos in Guatemala (up to the point of clinical practice) to his continuous enrollment in classes at Pitt and CMU into his nineties. David was a true leader and a patriarch — in the right sense of the word — to his family. He will always be missed. May his memory be for a blessing. Services were held at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc. Interment at West View Cemetery, green burial section. Contributions may be made to Jewish Assistance Fund, PO Box 8197, Pittsburgh, PA 15217; Rotary International, rotary.org/en/give; B’nai B’rith International, bnaibrith.org; National Yiddish Book Center, 1021 West St., Amherst MA 01002; or to the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, 6 Dixon Avenue, Ste.100, Concord, NH 03301, lantosfoundation.org.