On Feb. 22, Seymour Strongin — Sy to all but his beloved parents — died in Bethesda. He was 92. He was born in the Bronx, N.Y., to Miriam Guld and Sol Strongin on May 27, 1930. Raised in Lake Huntington, N.Y., and educated through 8th grade in a one-room schoolhouse, Sy finished his education at Narrowsburg Central High School; Syracuse University, where he was awarded a bachelor’s and then master’s degree in public administration; and after a stint in the Air Force, at Brooklyn Law School.
It was at his first legal job working to sniff out fraudulent insurance claims where he met bride-to-be, Patsy Kreindler. Pat and Sy married on July 12, 1959, and soon started their life together in Washington, D.C.
Sy got his real start in the law at the National Labor Relations Board. He became a labor arbitrator in 1964. Sy spent more than 50 years arbitrating labor disputes.
At his funeral at Adas Israel Congregation, he was eulogized by his longtime friend Rabbi Peter Hyman, and his three children.
He was the father of Abby Cherner (née Strongin), Laurie Strongin and Andrew Strongin; and the grandfather of Michael Cherner, Henry Strongin Goldberg (z”l), Rachel Cherner, Emma Strongin, Jack Strongin Goldberg, Joshua Cherner, Sam Strongin, Joe Strongin Goldberg and Noah Cherner.
Donations can be made to Hope for Henry Foundation, which honors his grandson Henry, and which helps improve outcomes for America’s sickest children. (hopeforhenry.org).
