Jeffrey E. Rosenfeld

Memorial trees planted for:

Jeffrey E. Rosenfeld

<p>Jeffrey E. Rosenfeld, 83, of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, died on Thursday, December 19, 2024.&nbsp; He was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on June 21, 1941, son of Sidney S. Rosenfeld and Pauline Frank Rosenfeld.&nbsp; Nearly all his family - grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins - lived in either Madison or Milwaukee. </p><p>Jeff graduated from Madison West High School in 1959, attended UW Madison, then transferred to UCLA where he received a BA in Mathematics in 1963.&nbsp; His first job in his teens was a delivery boy for Frank Brothers Grocery Store, of which his maternal grandfather was a co-founder.&nbsp; Jeff's career after college was eclectic, beginning in the early days of coding computer software, employed at aerospace centers in and around Los Angeles and at Universal Studios also in LA, then moving into upper management at various computer companies, including General Electric's timeshare division in Rockville, Maryland, and Control Data Corporation in Oak Brook, Illinois.&nbsp; CDC was co-founded by Seymour Cray, known as the "father of super-computers," and Jeff was always proud that he had learned from the best. </p><p>Jeff met his wife JoAnne when he left California for Virginia in 1971 to begin work at Computing and Software in Alexandria.&nbsp; JoAnne had just recently taken a job there.&nbsp; They would have celebrated their 50th anniversary on April 4, 2025. </p><p>Jeff transferred to Naperville, Illinois, in 1981 with Control Data and in 1987 he left the company and, following the family tradition, called upon his father's and grandfathers' entrepreneurship as he and JoAnne embarked upon a different journey, opening a collectible artist bear retail store.&nbsp; Grin &amp; Bear It became one of the premier collectible bear stores in the nation, so they added a wholesale business, importing handmade life-size stuffed animals from a notable French plush company, Aux Nations. </p><p>In 2004, Jeff and JoAnne sold the businesses, but Jeff with his outgoing personality was not ready to retire so he sold used cars, a job he was made for.&nbsp; After that, still not ready to slow down, he drove a bus for Naperville schools.&nbsp; The kids loved him and called him Taz because he had a Tasmanian devil plush animal as his co-pilot.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>Eventually Jeff and JoAnne retired to Door County, where they had vacationed since 1982.&nbsp; They lived in Egg Harbor on the water for 19 years and moved to Sturgeon Bay in 2022.&nbsp; They volunteered with the Door County Art League and the Door County Sail and Power Squadron for many years.&nbsp; Jeff was JoAnne's support as she served as vice-president, then president of the Art League, and he was head of education for the Power Squadron.&nbsp; They also took ballroom dancing lessons, which JoAnne says they enjoyed, but Jeff would probably beg to differ. </p><p>Jeff loved sports, growing up in Madison as a Saint Louis Cardinals fan and becoming a Chicago Cubs fan when he moved to Illinois.&nbsp; One of his favorite childhood memories was his opportunity to be a peanut vendor at the Milwaukee Braves stadium when he was old enough to drive from Madison to Milwaukee for the games.&nbsp; Being from Wisconsin, Jeff was always a Green Bay Packer fan, but he sure liked living in Naperville when the Monsters of the Midway, the '85 Bears, won the Super Bowl.&nbsp; Of course, living in Door County for the Packers 2011 Super Bowl victory was equally exciting.&nbsp; And then there was the electrifying Chicago Bull's dynasty in the '90s.&nbsp; Jeff instilled his love for sports in his grandson MJ (his initials also stand for Michael Jordan!) as he spent lots of time teaching MJ to throw and catch.&nbsp; MJ says he will really miss those special days with Grampa. </p><p>Survivors include Jeff's wife JoAnne, son Jeremy Rosenfeld, daughter and son-in-law Jennifer and Matthew Jones, best grandson ever MJ, all of Sturgeon Bay; brother Stuart Rosenfeld and sister-in-law Mary Eldridge of Chapel Hill, NC; sister-in-law Cathy Nolan of Sacramento, CA; brother-in-law W. Mark Dendy of Sturgeon Bay; special cousins JoAnne Salin of Madison, WI, and Marcia Friedman of Henderson, NV; nephews Barry Rosenfeld, wife Cara, of NYC and Mitchell Rosenfeld, wife Lisa, of Richmond, VA; nieces Rebecca Draznin, husband Lee, of Burke, VA, and Elizabeth Anne Janke, husband Scott, of Sacramento, CA.&nbsp; Also surviving are two great-nephews, six great-nieces, and many cousins.&nbsp; He was preceded in death by his father Sidney in 1972, mother Pauline in 1995, and sister Linda in 1998. </p><p>Jeff also leaves behind four dogs, Pit Bull Jordy, Boston Terrier Butch, French Bulldog Kalev, and Cocker Spaniel Dovid.&nbsp; Rescue has always been an important aspect of Jeff's life, especially for the past 20 years adopting dogs that most people would not take.&nbsp; For example, Jordy has only three legs and Butch has only one eye.&nbsp; Therefore, fourteen of Jeff's dogs will be waiting at the Rainbow Bridge, including Socky, his first Cocker Spaniel, and Pluto and Pogo, his Boston Terrier twins.&nbsp; </p><p>After death, his daughter Jennifer said, "Life isn't fair . . . but it's worth it," which was so true about Jeff, first because "life isn't fair" was his standard response when she and Jeremy complained about anything.&nbsp; Jennifer added to his mantra because his life was definitely worth it.&nbsp; He was passionate about whatever he was doing, whether it was taking Jeremy to his baseball games or Jennifer to soccer, making snowmen with the kids - mostly for him because he loved snow, taking the dogs to the beach, or shopping, his favorite pastime.&nbsp; Jeff talked to just about everyone he saw, in line at the grocery store or at the library, and at the art and music festivals he and JoAnne enjoyed.&nbsp; He was always quick to make a joke, usually a corny one!&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>There will be no funeral service.&nbsp; Instead, a celebration of Jeff's life will be in Door County around the date of what would have been his 84th birthday, June 21, 2025. </p><p>&nbsp;Jeff's family would appreciate donations in his memory made to either the Special Olympics https://www.specialolympics.org/get-involved/donate/special-olympics-tribute-giving in honor of his deceased sister Linda Rosenfeld, who had Down Syndrome, or to Bullies-N-Friends, an animal rescue (S4483 Belter Dr. North Freedom, Wisconsin 53951).&nbsp;&nbsp; </p>
June 21, 1941 - December 19, 202406/21/194112/19/2024
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Jeffrey E. Rosenfeld
Jeffrey E. Rosenfeld
2 Trees have been planted in memory of Jeffrey Rosenfeld.

Memorial Trees

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Anonymous

December 27, 2024

The planting of 1 memorial tree in the honor of Jeffrey E. Rosenfeld has been arranged by Anonymous. Plant a tree
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The staff at Forbes Funeral Home & Cremations

December 26, 2024

The planting of 1 memorial tree in the honor of Jeffrey E. Rosenfeld has been arranged by The staff at Forbes Funeral Home & Cremations. Plant a tree
We plant this tree as a living memorial to Jeffrey. We are deeply sorry for your loss.