Marty Zwiebach ('63)

Great memories of Arnie playing stickball on Evergreen Avenue even though we weren't close friends always a good guy. One memory playing stickball Howie Liebowitz hit a home run  off me and I went up the roof of 1155 Evergreen and as I went to retrieve the ball I met arnies boxer dog ceasear. He chased me around the roof and I made to the door by the skin of my teeth!!!  My condolences to Ruth Ellen also a 63 graduate  and his family rest in peace Arnie. Marty Zwiebach

Joan Perlmutter (Gelfman-Rosen)

So sorry to hear this news.  Back in H.S we were friendly.  He was good friends with Marty Kurtz.  R,I.P.

Ben Shelkowsky

I too, am shocked to hear of his passing. I had hoped to see him at the Florida reunion. When visiting Toby on my road trip back east several years ago,I connected with Arnold on the phone. I had hped to visit him in person but it did not work out. I knew Arny better when we were in JHS 123 than at JMHS. At JHS123 we played in a combo with Sandy and a few others on stage for a school event. We played "Green Door" and it was pure fun. I also brought my lunch and walked with Arny to his apartment to have lunch several times,  He would impress me with his weightlifting with his weights under his bed.  In high school Arny excelled in Football and baseball. He still played his trumpet but sports was "king". I also have CLL but am not under treatment or suffer any symtoms, for now. I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and may he rest in peace.

Ross Moskowitz

A good, fun, loyal guy. Friends into high school.

A tremendous competitor. I can still see him laughing in the heat of competition. Born with club feet, picked on , his father, "refused to help," insisting he had to learn to defend himself. Did he ever! On one occasion when we were at the Ward Theater, a loud commotion on the landing outside the men's room caused all of us in the audience to turn around. There was a short-lived altercation after Arnie had been accosted inside by two knife-wielding thugs. That they were unsuccessful does not begin to tell the story.

When I had to babysit my sister and was unable to attend one of our teen parties, he brought some of the group to our family's apartment so that I would have some fun as well.

I spoke with him four years ago after a good friend and business associate of Arnie's had given me his phone number. We reminisced and had a wonderful conversation.

Will never forget you Arnie.

Ross Moskowitz

Apologies. Deepest sympathies to Ruthellen and his entire family.

Frank Figueroa

Frank Figueroa

Marty Zwiebach ('63)

Being a tough old guy the passing of Arnie blew my mind. He was such a good souland as someone said when we were threatend by another block we all went to get Arnie I remember walking home with him and Wayne Irby when Ezersky finished football practice. As we all lived on the 1100 block on Evergreen Ave rest in peace my man!!!!

Joel Iskowitz (Ives )

It always comes as a shock when one of your elementary school classmates dies since there is no lying about the fact that we were both born about the same time. Arnie was two months older than me. Although I haven’t seen Arnie for many years, when his death was announced a few days ago, I was saddened and have been thinking about those early years in the Bronx. I can remember when our paths first crossed about 60 years ago as though it was yesterday because Arnie’s personality was one that sticks in your mind.

Like Billy Fritz, I first knew Arnie when he lived on Elder Avenue before his family moved to Evergreen.  I lived on Boynton Avenue.  Some of my oldest memories are when Arnie, Billy and I roamed the streets in and around Westchester Avenue and Elder in the mid 1950’s.  In retrospect, I think it was probably the first time for all of us when we played in the streets, alleyways, and traffic away from our homes and our parents had absolutely no idea where we were.  This was our first taste of independent life and we were led by Arnie at this very young age.

Arnie had problems with his feet before we knew him. I recall that he had to wear his shoes on opposite feet. Looking back one thing is clear, this early disadvantage had no negative effect on his personality since he no fear of anything as a kid, he played sports with a tremendous intensity and never held anything back. Arnie had a reputation of being a “tough kid” but my experience is similar to Billy Fritz’s, I don’t recall him treating his longtime friends with anything but respect although like Sandy Morganstein and others, I remember he did get into real fist fights in his youth something the rest of us did everything to avoid.  As others have suggested, perhaps he took a physical disadvantage and it turned it around to become a positive force in his life.

Arnie and I crossed paths often until 1961. We were in a world where many of us lived in the same house (or at least the same neighborhood) from the time we entered kindergarten until the time we graduated from high school, This is a phenomena you don’t see too much today.  I remember a great sports achievement in our youth took place at the Shore Haven Beach Club. During the summer of 1958 our underdog Red Legs softball team beat Billy Colavito (cousin of Rocky) and his team from Pelham Parkway in the championship.  Nicky DeMatteis got an extra base hit at the end of the game which won it for us.  Arnie was an important part of the team. We had learned in those days that you could win any game if you played with confidence and played well. Marty Fishkind, Neil Dick, Jerry Rubin, my brother Ira, Stewie Falk, Gus LaRocca, Victor Abramowitz and Ralph Solimano were on the team.

In JHS 123 Arnie was in class 9-1. Mr. Winters was the homeroom teacher. I suppose that is where he learned how to play the trumpet which he continued into James Monroe HS.  Class 9-1 was a “music class” as was 9-2, Mrs. Fenster’s class that I was in. We weren’t “cool” since our class 9-2 played “string instruments.” Arnie was in the band performances. Music was an important part of the lives of students in these two classes.

We had a lousy football season in our Monroe senior year in 1960. We beat Evander the first game of the season and lost the rest of the games.   Arnie has a big smile in the football team photo in the 1961 yearbook. He is also in the team picture of the Monroe baseball team. I think Arnie and Gus Kourkoulis were the only two guys who were on both teams. In retrospect this was quite an accomplishment. I remember Arnie also played baseball in the summer leagues where many of the great players that came out of the neighborhood developed their skills.

I had lost track of Arnie during the past few decades, I guess fate didn’t intend for our paths to cross again but, I am saddened to hear of his passing especially since, his life was shortened by the same disease that took my mother when she was only 60 years old.

Those who graduated with the James Monroe class of 1961 have had 54 years to develop new relationships and meet new people. Many times you cannot match the name with the face of thousands of people who pass through your life but Arnie was one of those people whose memory is so vivid that it stays with those who knew him. Perhaps this is due to a fearlessness he possessed that not everyone has. Or, perhaps his intensity in sports causes his memory to be crystal clear in the minds of those who were on the playing field with him. I hope this strength comforted Arnie in his final days.

My condolences go out to his family.   

Joel (Iskowitz) Ives

Michael Bookbinder

Sorry to hear about Arnie. We were teammates briefly at James Monroe. Good memories. Sympathies to Ruth and family. Take care. Bookie