Final Salute

Curt M. Rosenberg
Escaped from Nazi Germany, served in US Navy in World War II, and ‘characterized his life as a miracle,’ 99
Curt M. Rosenberg, 99, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 10, surrounded by his loving family. Just one month shy of his 100th birthday, Curt was born on March 19, 1921 in Offenbach, Germany, the only child of Alfred and Hedwig Rosenberg.
His love for life and people was never more apparent than during his time working over three decades in the life insurance business as the former managing director of Sun Life of New York and a former vice president of MONY Financial Services in New York.
Curt often characterized his life as a miracle. He escaped from Nazi Germany at just 14 years old after a bicycle run-in with Hitler Youth threatened his safety. He spent his teenage years studying in Milan, Italy, until 1939 when former Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, under great pressure from Hitler, started persecuting the Jews, and Curt was forced to escape again.
He was smuggled out of Italy into Switzerland, France and Belgium. In Belgium, he was placed into a camp, as part of a prison complex. During his time in Belgium, Curt met a man of Russian nationality, whose legal name he never knew, who helped him secure a passport and affidavit to join his parents on the SS Pennland and immigrate to the United States. On the ship’s return voyage, the SS Pennland was sunk by Nazis.
Curt and his parents settled in Newark, NJ, and he volunteered for the draft in 1943. He was placed in the United States Navy, better known as the Seabees, and served in the Philippines for three and a half years. His battalion was amongst those that survived the Invasion of Leyte Gulf.
It was shortly after his time in the Navy that Curt was introduced to his wife, Sonia, a loving and devoted marriage that lasted for 71 years, until her passing in 2019.
He resided and raised his family in Hillside, NJ, where he was an active community member of B’nai B’rith and longtime congregant of Temple Shomrei Torah. He was later a congregant of Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael in Springfield, NJ, and Congregation B’nai Israel in Millburn, NJ. He spent his retired years in South Orange and Boca Raton, Fla.
Curt loved his family with his whole heart. His love and devotion, warmth and advice, for his family will forever be within their hearts. He was the beloved husband of Sonia. He was a devoted father of Sharon (and Arthur) Draznin, Marc (and Amy) Rosenberg, and the late Barbara (and Robert) Halper; loving grandfather of 18 – Marissa (and Glenn) Shuster, Bari (and Andrew) Huber, Andrew (and Stephanie) Draznin, Haley (and Jason) Leibowitz, Blake (and Andrei) Rosenberg, Alex Rosenberg, Drew Rosenberg, Will Rosenberg, Scott (and Sara) Halper, Eric (and Jenny) Halper; adoring great-grandfather of ten – Brett Shuster, Jake Shuster, Remi Huber, Justin Huber, Corey Huber, Levi Halper, Aiden Halper, Chloe Halper, Lucy Halper and Harry Halper.
A virtual funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 12, through the Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Home, Livingston, N.J. Please visit: http://webcast.dignitymemorial.com/events/viewer/47766/hash:867A9BFA9B575093
Shiva will be observed remotely with the Rosenberg, Draznin and Halper families on Saturday 2/13, Sunday 2/14 and Monday 2/15.
For online condolences to the family, please visit: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/livingston-nj/curt-rosenberg-10050502
Donations may be made in Curt’s memory to the American Cancer Society.

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