Funeral Details

Walter S. Roth, age 95, beloved husband of the late Muriel nee Teitell. Loving father of Kenneth (Annie) Roth, James (Laura) Roth, Robert (Irma) Roth, and Sara “Pepper” (Jeffrey) Trahan. Proud grandfather of Lisa, Emma, Owen, Caleb, Lilah, Andrew, Gregory, Daniel, Kevin, Scott, Michael, and Alexander “Toto”. Dear brother of the late Edith (the late John) Odenheimer and the late Herbert (the late Gertrude) Roth. Born October 7, 1925, in Frankfurt, Germany. Through the foresight and sacrifices of his late parents, Cathinka “Kathi” and Isaac Roth, he escaped the perils of Nazi Germany, emigrating to New York City in July 1938. He met Muriel, his bride to be, at a Hunter College dance, when she was a 17-year-old freshman. They married three years later, as soon as she graduated. They had an exceptionally loving marriage of nearly 69 inseparable years. In the Second World War, he served in the US Navy Seabees, participating in the battle for Okinawa. He was an engineering graduate of The City College of New York and earned an MBA from Northwestern University. He was a long-time employee of Signode Corporation, serving ultimately as Vice President and Chief Technical Officer until his retirement in 1987. Throughout his life, he was devoted to community service. He was a long-serving member of the school board for the Deerfield Public Schools and ultimately its president. Following his retirement, he served for more than 20 years as a volunteer for the Executive Service Corps, specializing in helping non-profit groups with strategic planning. During his retirement, he maintained his strong interest in lifelong learning, first at Northwestern University and then as a charter member of the Lifelong Learning Institute at National Louis University. He was devoted to his family, a deeply caring husband, father, and grandfather, and a model of compassion and fairness. His never-ending intellectual curiosity set a standard for all as he encouraged his family members to pursue their passions through the best possible education. His final months were greatly enriched by his caretakers, Shanice, Maita, and Daisy. Memorials to Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org or your favored charity are appreciated. A memorial service will be held when circumstances permit. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com