Harold S. Rosenbluth, 91, Rosenbluth Vacations chairman

Harold S. Rosenbluth, 91, a third-generation leader of the Rosenbluth travel agencies, died of cancer Wednesday, Feb. 3, at home in Haverford.

Mr. Rosenbluth "was the one who bridged the second to the third to the fourth generations," his son Lee said. "He was the sole reason that we as a company were in the fourth generation."

Until his death, Mr. Rosenbluth remained chairman of Rosenbluth Vacations, which the family retained after selling Rosenbluth International Inc. to American Express Co. in 2003. Rosenbluth was the fifth-largest travel-management company in the United States at the time.

"He supported us and what we were doing," Lee Rosenbluth said of his father. "He loved our staff. He loved their dedication. He loved their hard work, and he loved their spirit. He was an integral part of the company."

Mr. Rosenbluth was born April 21, 1924, in Philadelphia and graduated from Central High School. He served in the Army from 1942 to 1944 under Gen. George S. Patton.

After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947 and then receiving a law degree from Penn in 1950, Mr. Rosenbluth worked for three years as a corporate lawyer before joining the family business, founded by his grandfather in 1892 to help Eastern European immigrants buy steamship tickets to the United States.

"He still went into the office until he was 90," Lee Rosenbluth said.

Mr. Rosenbluth met Frances Baylinson at the University of Pennsylvania. They married in 1948.

"He had one of those love affairs with my mom - you need a stepladder to reach that bar, and nobody should even try because you're never going to reach it," his son Hal F. Rosenbluth said, recalling that his parents constantly held hands.

He described his father as a man for all seasons. Even at 88, when he visited son Hal's ranch in North Dakota, Mr. Rosenbluth rode challenging horses.

In Philadelphia, Mr. Rosenbluth was a supporter of the arts, with memberships on the board of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Opera Company of Philadelphia.

As a music lover, he organized concerts for friends by young musicians in his Haverford home, which was filled with art from around the world.

Another of Mr. Rosenbluth's passions was interfaith religious activity. For example, he was a member of the board of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at St. Joseph's University.

He also served on the boards of Gratz College and the American Jewish Historical Society, his family said. He was on the University of Pennsylvania Libraries Board of Overseers.

From 1976 to 1980, Mr. Rosenbluth was president of Congregation Rodeph Shalom.

"Nothing was ever about him. It was always about everybody else," Hal Rosenbluth said.

In addition to his wife of 67 years and his sons, Mr. Rosenbluth is survived by a daughter, Amy, and seven grandchildren.

A service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 8, at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia. Interment will be in Roosevelt Memorial Park.

Donations may be made to the Harold S. Rosenbluth Memorial Fund at Rodeph Shalom Synagogue, 615 N. Broad St, Philadelphia 19123.

hbrubaker@phillynews.com

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