In Memoriam

 
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In Memory of

Daniel L. Goldberg

April 5, 1922 - April 1, 2014

Obituary

GOLDBERG--Daniel Louis, my beloved, passed away April 1, 2014 in New York City. He was 91 years old, four days short of his 92d birthday. He was born April 5, 1922 in Philadelphia, PA and later resided in New Jersey and New York, recently wintering in Florida.

He was an exceptional person intellectually and a kind, compassionate caring human being. He was a WWII Veteran, a volunteer, in the US Army from 1942-1946, first an enlistee then a 90-day-wonder commissioned officer, forever proud of his military service. After Technical High School in Newark, NJ, he attended The New Jersey Institute of Technology receiving his BS and MS Degrees in Electrical Engineering, then becoming a registered Professional Engineer (PE) in New York and New Jersey. He also attended New York University's prestigious Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. Daniel Goldberg was a brilliant Engineer.

For 35 years, he was employed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and for 16 of those years, until his retirement in 1985, he was the Port Authority's Chief Electrical Engineer. Much of his electrical engineering design work involved New York City's Holland and Lincoln Tunnels, The George Washington Bridge, The Port Authority Bus Terminal, The Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH), The World Trade Center, Kennedy International and LaGuardia Airports, and New Jersey's Newark International Airport, where he played a major role in a 1963 expansive redevelopment, construction and modernization program, and was the consultant for all the lighting and power facilities, receiving high recognition. Through the years he received many Port Authority accolades. In 1980, he was awarded the Port Authority's Distinguished Service Medal "For demonstrating an exceptional degree of good judgment, initiative and competence in his field of endeavor and sustained this record of outstanding or distinguished service over a number of years, at least 15 years of service." When retiring, his Port Authority plaque was inscribed "A Distinguishing Award To Daniel L. Goldberg, An Engineer A Gentleman A Friend."

He was a life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) the world-wide largest professional society for the advancement of technology for humanity. In 1984, he was named Fellow, the highest level of membership, his citation "For innovative engineering of large transportation facilities." In 1974, he received an Achievement Award "For Leadership in Preparing and Publishing the 2nd Edition of Electrical Systems for Commercial Buildings." And in 1975, he received the Industrial and Commercial Power Systems Standards Medallion. He also contributed to the 1976, 1986, 1996 editions of the Red Book-Industrial Buildings, and the Bronze Book-Energy Conservation, and was on the Standards Board Review Committee 1982-1992. In 1993, he was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award "In recognition of his dedication and distinguished service to the IEEE Industry Applications Society." He was involved with the Illuminating Engineering Society and wrote three electrical chapters for the McGraw Hill Handbook on Building Services. He was also an instructor for the IEEE, and held numerous other positions. The immensity of his ongoing contributions to the IEEE culminated in being awarded a special bronze medal inscripted "The IEEE Awards This Third Millennium Medal to Daniel L. Goldberg in 2000 for Outstanding Achievements and Contributions."

Daniel was a child of "The Great Depression of the '30's," never forgetting the prevailing poverty, imbuing him with a lasting sense of empathy and philanthropy. For 40 years, he was a member and supporter of The American Technion Society, of The Technion Society of Israel, the leading Engineering and Science Institution, and in 2000 he received their Crystal Triangle, the highest award for being a PATRON. He was also a long time recognized supporter of the National Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. And he was an Alma Mater supporter of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, "An Alumni Fellow Supporter For Significant Support to Engineering Education," these among so many others.

Archeology was another of Daniel's interests. For many years he was a member of the Biblical Archeology Society, an international organization, taking him on several Middle East excavations, to dig sites of historical biblical importance, mainly to Israel. He was an inveterate traveler and had visited China, India, Egypt, Greece, Morocco, France, England, Germany, Ecuador, Argentina, Mexico, Alaska, and other places.

He enjoyed music, and opera, and possessed a delightful sense of humor, wise and witty. His appreciation and knowledge of art and art history were boundless. He was a member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the past 40 years, and a long time Friend of The New York Public Library. And, in his characteristic modest, unassuming manner, he was a member of the American MENSA, the world-wide society for exceptionally high intelligence quotient individuals.

After enduring prolonged suffering, Daniel passed away from Parkinson's Disease, that still incurable illness. He is survived by a son, Alan Goldberg, a professor in California, and also a companion of long years, Irene Field, who he deeply loved, and to whom he was so deeply devoted. Daniel L. Goldberg was truly a special person, dedicated to Engineering, from childhood, and blessed with so many other fine attributes. He was loved and respected by all who knew him, and all whose lives he touched, and he will be greatly missed. With everlasting love. Irene

Published in The New York Times on May 18, 2014

 

 

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