Gilbert Harwood

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Gilbert Harwood, passed away peacefully on Monday, Feb. 29, 2016, at Saratoga Hospital, with family members at his side. He was a man whose daily life was guided by unwavering commitments to repair breaches in society, afford respect to each and every individual, and act with integrity. He believed how one lived their life mattered. Born March 16, 1927 in Manhattan, he was the younger of two sons of Irving and Anna Harwood. He grew up in the heavily Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Borough Park in Brooklyn, where for many years he attended religious school three times a week, graduated from Midwood High School and met his future wife, Selma Rhoda Gross, whom he married on June 14, 1952. After completing his freshman year at New York University, he enlisted in the US Navy during World War II, and then returned to NYU to complete his undergraduate degree and then attend NYU School of Law. Upon graduation from law school, Gilbert joined a small Manhattan law firm, where he worked for two years, often representing immigrants in need of legal counsel. Determined to blaze his own path, he founded his own practice, where he worked for the next 15 years. In 1966, he and his young family moved to Saratoga Springs. No sooner had they arrived, he and his wife joined a small cadre of Jewish families to help build what is now Temple Sinai, where Gilbert would come to serve numerous terms as president and board member. He treasured his role as the temple’s lay cantor, where his melodic voice often filled the congregation, and where he could combine Judaism with his love of music. Gilbert was tireless in his commitment to improve the larger community. He served on the Saratoga Urban Renewal Commission to ensure that every person had a voice in the redevelopment of the community, especially those directly affected by urban renewal. At a time when mental health issues were taboo to speak about in public, he was active in the Saratoga County Mental Health Committee. He worked diligently to revitalize the local NAACP chapter. And he served as committeeman for the Saratoga Springs Democratic Party, believing that the region needed two healthy political parties. He once ran for school board, where many supporters had urged him to come out against the teachers’ union; he flatly refused, arguing that teachers are the backbone of public education and that campaigns should be about what one is for – not what one is against. A commitment to public service also guided Gilbert’s professional life. Upon moving to Saratoga, he directed the New York State Board of Social Welfare, where he championed greater transparency in charitable organizations in the state, believing they should always serve the public good. For many years, he served as legal counsel to the future governor, Mario Cuomo, first when Cuomo was secretary of state and then as lieutenant governor. Upon being elected governor, Cuomo appointed Gilbert general counsel for the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation. Gilbert is survived by his wife, Selma, and their three children, Steven E. Harwood of Miami, Alison M. Harwood of Washington, DC, and Richard C. Harwood of Bethesda, MD, and his three grandchildren, Emily, Jonathan and Max, each of whom held a special place in Gilbert’s heart, and each of whom deeply loved their grandfather.