Harold Bernard Shugar, fondly known as “”HB,”” was born on April 10, 1923 in Tarboro, N.C., died September 24, 2009. He was the son of Phillip and Lena Light Shugar; his siblings were Dr. Gershon Shugar (deceased); Marguerite Brill, Gilbert Shugar (deceased), Evelyn Brauer, and Gerald Shugar. HB grew up in the south, graduating from Tarboro High School where he played football and basketball. In 1940, he enrolled at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. and was active in varsity boxing and international relations club. HB volunteered for the U.S. Navy in 1943 to support the war effort. He received a commission from Northwestern Midshipman School and served on North Atlantic anti-submarine ships. After the defeat of Germany, he was assigned to the Pacific; his final U.S. Naval assignment was witnessing the Bikini atom bomb tests. After honorable discharge, HB earned a B.S. from University of South Carolina. HB was fascinated by developments in Palestine and traveled there in 1947 by enrolling at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. When the hostilities broke out, he joined the Haganah (predecessor to Israel Defense Forces) and was involved in heavy combat operations on land and sea. His duties included commanding a mortar squad, guarding David Ben-Gurion, and serving as gunnery officer of the Eilat (first Israeli Navy warship), where he directed the first Navel offensive action of a Jewish Navy since the days of King Solomon. He was grazed by an enemy bullet. He was at Yemen Moshe when it fell to the Jordanian Legion – and his command post was demolished by a car bomb. Contributing to Israel’s independence and the historic rebirth of a dead language was a transformational experience for HB. In 1949, HB returned to the USA and settled in Albany, N.Y., where he worked in construction of commercial projects as chief estimator and project manager for state agencies and major general contractors. He was also an arbitrator with American Arbitration Association. HB and wife Sally of 46 years, loved their family passionately and considered their sons, Joel and Dan, their “”greatest accomplishments.”” HB was the unofficial family photographer who captured in pictures the lives of our extended family. A true Southern gentleman and consistently dapper dresser, he never missed a family function. HB remained active in Jewish and civic organizations, including president of the Gideon Lodge of B’nai B’rith, chairman of the Empire State Israel Affairs Committee, president of the American Society of Professional Estimators, active member of the Jewish War Veterans, the Forum Club of Palm Beach, the American Legion, and Temple Israel. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Sally Hope Staier; and son, Dr. Joel K. Shugar. He is survived by his younger son, Daniel S. Shugar and his wife Kathleen with grandsons, Peter and David of San Bruno, Calif. and, in Fla., his grandson, Adam J. Shugar. Services will be held at Temple Israel, 600 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208, Sunday at 9:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Dr. Joel Shugar Preschool Outreach Fund at Temple Israel. Tags: 1944
Posted in:
Posted on:
Link to original obituary: