William Joseph, a specialist in nonprofit law who volunteered for nonprofits in the Cleveland area, died of carcinoma Oct. 26 at his home in Shaker Square. He was 66.
A longtime community activist, Mr. Joseph was co-founder of Ohio Citizens for the Arts and an executive with onprofits. Among his posts: former trustee of Hebrew Union College; past president and life director, Jewish Family Service Association; past president and director, Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland; member of several committees and trustee, Jewish Community Federation; and former trustee and past president of The Temple-Tifereth Israel.
Rabbi Rosette Barron Haim, who with Rabbi Roger Klein officiated at Mr. Joseph’s funeral Oct. 29, said the Temple sanctuary was filled that morning, bespeaking the popularity of an attorney and activist who touched many lives.
“He was connected to organizations but also very connected to people,” Haim said, noting Mr. Joseph’s good friend, Temple Rabbi Richard Block, sent a letter praising Joseph (Block is traveling in Botswana). “He was the kind of guy who was very open, very willing to share his life, so everybody felt like they had a connection to him,” Haim said.
A partner in the law firm of Weston Hurd, Mr. Joseph earned bachelor and law degrees at Columbia University in New York. The scion of a well-known Cleveland family – his great-grandfather co-founded the clothing firm Joseph & Feiss Co. – Mr. Joseph shared a Cleveland Arts Prize in 2006 with Bill Blair, with whom he founded the advocacy organization Ohio Citizens for the Arts. They were known as “the Bills.”
In 2006, the Cleveland chapter of the American Jewish Committee honored Mr. Joseph with its distinguished leadership award, and three years later, ORT America, Cleveland region, named him 2009 Man of the Year.
Mr. Joseph is survived by his son, William R. (Joanna L. Lezak), and daughter, Dr. Robyn J. (Dr. Michael) Gutman; and five grandchildren.
Contributions are suggested to Bellefaire JCB, 22201 Fairmount Blvd., Shaker Heights OH 44118 or the Cleveland Orchestra, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland 44106.
William R. Joseph was an innovative lawyer and booster for nonprofits: news obituary
on October 29, 2012 at 3:24 PM, updated October 29, 2012 at 7:49 PM
William R. JosephJoseph died on Friday, Oct. 26, at home in Shaker Square from complications of carcinoma. He was 66.
"He helped us and advised us and made us laugh and was a critical part of our success," said Scott Simon, chairman of Shoes and Clothes for Kids. "So many local nonprofits benefited from his leadership, and I don't think many, if any, of them ever received a bill from him."
Joseph was an early specialist in the burgeoning field of nonprofit law. He also co-founded Ohio Citizens for the Arts, which supports the Ohio Arts Council, and stumped for the tax behind Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
He was president of a wide range of nonprofits, including The Temple, Jewish Family Service Association, St. Ann Foundation, Sisters of Charity Foundation, Columbia University Club of Cleveland, Cleveland Bar Foundation, Starting Point, Museum of Contemporary Art and New Organization for the Visual Arts.
Julie Henahan, who runs the Ohio Arts Council, said, "He was always very amiable, very laid-back, very funny and fun." At a meeting, Joseph danced down the aisle flaunting a banner emblazoned with the dollar amount of his proposed yearly budget for the council.
In 1997, Joseph told The Plain Dealer, "I'm a high-energy guy. I like keeping busy. No matter what the time, if I feel like doing something, I'll do it. It could be dawn or midnight."
He came from a leading Cleveland family. His great-grandfather co-founded Joseph and Feiss clothes. His parents, Frank and Martha Joseph, were leading supporters of civic causes, including the Cleveland Orchestra and its Blossom Music Center, once mocked as "Joseph's Folly."
Their son said, "I'm the sixth generation to live in Cleveland. I love this city."
Joseph earned bachelor's and law degrees at Columbia. He joined Arter and Hadden in 1972 and Weston Hurd in 1989. He lectured widely on nonprofit law, employee relations and more.
According to his resume, he volunteered for 59 nonprofits. He chaired Recovery Resources. He was vice president of the Western Reserve Aids Foundation, a co-founder of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and a trustee of Oakwood Country Club, Hough Area Development and more.
Outside of Cleveland, he was a trustee of the National Symphony Orchestra and Hebrew Union College.
Joseph loved to cook, often for nonprofit events, and bake, often for friends. Sneaking to doorsteps in the dark, he delivered some 230 loaves of pumpkin pear spice bread for the holidays in 1996.
His resume lists 11 awards from civic groups. In 2006, he and William Blair shared a Cleveland Arts Prize named for Joseph's mother: the Martha Joseph Special Citation for Distinguished Service to the Arts. The citation said the two Bills, who launched Ohio Citizens for the Arts, "worked ardently for 30 years to push Ohio's arts and culture into the hearts and minds of legislators."
William R. Joseph
1946-2012
Survivors: Children, William R. Jr., and Dr. Robyn J. Gutman, and five grandchildren.
Funeral: Already held.
Contributions: Bellefaire JCB, 22001 Fairmount Blvd., Shaker Heights, OH 44118 or Cleveland Orchestra, 11001 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Arrangements: Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz.
Lilli Adler (Harris)
When I think of High School and unexpressed crushes I think of Bill Joseph. I revealed to Bill later thatI had more than a crush on him since junior high school and we joked about it every time I saw him at one of the many cultural events he was involved with, at social functions and even at Fairmount Temple where I would periodically see him after a service.
Bill was more than extraordinary. He was charming, a great conversationalist, handsome, generous, beyond philanthropic, persaesive, brilliant, kind and lovable. Everyone adored him. His human values were inspirational. Few people have done more for our city and it's civic and cultural life than Bill.
He is a great loss for this community and for all of us. I miss seeing him and grabbing him for one of his hugs.
Ken LaVetter
Bill and I were good freiends from our time together at Boulevard Elementary School through Shaker. He was smart and fun with a good sense of humor. We played pool in his absement, baseball at my house and both had to stay out of his living room. In our Boulevard and Woodbury days we played in he park across the street from his house - just across South Woodland in front of Woodbury and also played a lot of golf together. I saw him ocassionally afyer college. He was genuine with a good heart.
Joseph G Blake
My recollection of Bill Joseph and his cousin Steve goes back to the mid 50s and Hawken Day Camp. In those days Hawken School operated a summer day camp for 6 weeks. We wore uniforms which were grey with a red stripe. A grey T shirt with red letters and a cap with a red brim. It's hard to believe but we sat down for lunch with knife, fork and napkin. No one thought we would steel the knife and attack someone. I recall sitting at the same table as Bill whose manners where impeccable for those three summers we were there. Steve lived in Fernway and we were in the same car each day. In those days the camp leaders were school teachers who drove Hawken station wagons to pick us up and take us home.I recall Steve, Bill and I were in the same camp group. As I recall the Vikings and Cavaliers. Steve's mother and my mother came together for parents day. Great times and almost unreal now in terms of how genteel boys could behave. The summer headmaster was Mr Sipple whose son Peter was the bugaler each morning at flag raising. Later Peter would be the headmaster had my daughter's high school.