Howard Gorham

Former Scarsdale resident Howard Gorham died May 15, four weeks shy of his 95th birthday.

Born to Pincus and Rose Goldstein in Brooklyn just before the onset of the Great Depression, he served in the military and in 1949 graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Accounting and Finance at New York University.

Working as an accountant in the day, Mr. Gorham studied law at NYU at night, attaining his JD/LLB in 1953 and his LLM (Tax Law) in 1958. He was a central part of numerous real estate developments in the New York City region and, later, across the country. One of his greatest professional accomplishments was as a lead attorney in the development of the iconic Pan American (later Metropolitan Life) building behind Grand Central Station. His leisure passions included literature, history, archaeology, traveling and opera.

Mr. Gorham lived in Scarsdale from 1965 to 1994, during which time he was active in the community, serving as president of the East Scarsdale Community Association, coaching boys’ basketball and volunteering as a parent leader in scouting.

He was a “kind, generous and accomplished man, who was loved by his family and the many friends he made in his life,” according to his family, and his greatest accomplishment was as a husband and father, where he was “a tower of strength” for his family. “His even temperament and care and concern for his family were evident every day and we all cherished the gifts that Howard brought us,” his family said.

Mr. Gorham is survived by his wife of almost 63 years, Sue, his three sons and daughters-in-law, Eric and Luce, Jim and Bev, and Roger and Liz, and his five grandchildren — Sam, Eleanor, Jeffrey, Andrea and Edward, and by numerous extended family members and friends.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville, 717 Rugby Road, Charlottesville, Virginia, on June 5. Remote viewing is available at https://zoom.us/j/96019549841.

His family suggests donations to Mr. Gorham’s preferred charity, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, https://secure.au.org/a/tribute.