Mitchel James Lazarus

Mitchel passed away on February 15, 2016, at the age of 95 and a half, in Bellingham, WA. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Edith Lazarus, and daughter, Naomi Lazarus. He is survived by his sons, Gary (wife Nancy and grandsons Nathan and Daniel), David (wife Barbara and granddaughters Kirsten and Annette), Mark (granddaughters Theresa and Alexis), and granddaughter Brianna (daughter of Naomi) lovingly raised by her adoptive mother Alice and father David Barnes. Mitch was born in Minneapolis, MN on August 9, 1920. He had two older sisters and grew up working in the family delicatessen/grocery store. He was the co-editor of his high school newspaper and graduated 15th out of a class of 500 students. In high school he was active in the Jewish Community and a strong supporter of the state of Israel. He received his Master of Social Work degree which he worked on while stationed with the Army during WWII. He met Edith while doing research in the library. They were married in 945 and, with only $200 between them, hitchhiked from St. Louis to Colorado, where Mitch was stationed at the time. Their union produced three boys and one daughter. Mitch discovered early on that his true love was working with the Jewish Community. In 1958, Mitch became the executive director of the Jewish Community Center of St. Paul, MN, which at that time consisted of a small old school house. Through his leadership, they were able to build a new center, the Martin and Esther Capp building, which is still in use today. After stints as a professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and the University of Eugene, OR, he returned to Minneapolis where he worked as the Associate Director of Planning and Budgeting for the Minneapolis Jewish Federation until his retirement in 1988. His desire to help seniors with housing and Services Corporation which ultimately established a senior high rise apartment building for Jewish seniors in Minneapolis. The facilities included multiple community housing projects and nursing home programs as well. The housing programs that were developed were both economically disadvantaged as well as for those who were not. Mitch loved to fish, although he was never very good at it, but he kept trying. In later life, he became a fish pacifist and quit fishing, although he retained his love of seafood, especially Salmon. Mitch’s commitment to family was always foremost in his thoughts. As the family patriarch, everyone in the family, both immediate and extended, sought his out for his counsel and guidance. He almost always had an opinion which he was more than willing to share with anyone who would listen. Mitch and Edith moved into the Willows Independent Senior Living Retirement Community over eight years ago and loved living there. Mitch especially enjoyed the staff and the many friends he had made. Services will be held on Friday, 2/19, at 10AM at Moles Greenacres (5700 NW Drive, Ferndale). To view Mitch’s pictures, please click on “Photos” tab to the left.

Mitchel James Lazarus

August 9, 1920 - February 15, 2016