Obituary of Joseph Riesenfeld

Joseph A. Riesenfeld, beloved brother and uncle, passed away on November 19, 2009 in Jackson, New Jersey, of natural causes. Joe was born on October 25, 1936, in Potsdam, Germany, the eldest son of Ilse and Walter Riesenfeld. He came to the U.S. at the age of two, when he and his parents fled Nazi Germany. Joe lived much of his adult life with his parents in Roosevelt, New Jersey, where he was known for running "Joe's Shop", the local newspaper and candy store, with Walter. Although Walter kept handwritten accounts, Joe kept a tab of people's accounts in his head. He didn't always say who owed unless asked, but you can be sure he knew to the penny. His talent for keeping track of facts and figures was well-known in the community; some say he never forgot a date or phone number. Later in life, Joe worked in sheltered workshops, where his ability to remember numbers was often greatly appreciated. His friends and family often depended on him to remember birthdays and car inspection dates; his authority on such matters was unquestionable. His answers were unwavering and honest. Joe was a voracious reader. He regularly read The New York Times and loved to read anything about sports (especially his beloved Yankees) or statistics. He devoured and memorized the Almanac each year. He could always tell you what day your birthday would fall on next year (or in ten years!) and whether it was a mail day today. Like the schedules he loved, he was wonderfully predictable: Birthday dinners were spaghetti and meatballs and chocolate cake every year. Apple pie was a consistent favorite. He happily had seconds. He is survived by his sister, Jane Jelinek of Freehold and his brother Richard Riesenfeld of Salt Lake City, his nephew, David Jelinek, and his five nieces, Debra Gombert, Margaret Jelinek Lewis, Samantha Riesenfeld, Betsy Jelinek and Rebecca Riesenfeld. All arrangements are private and by the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, Freehold Township. For those who desire, memorial contributions in memory of Joe may be made to either Autism Speaks, 5455 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2250, Los Angeles, CA 90036 or donate online at http://www.autismspeaks.org/ or to the The ARC of Monmouth, 1158 Wayside Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07712 or donate online at http://www.arcnj.org/ and would be appreciated. For information or condolence messages to the family, please visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com