Howard Polster passed away on Nov. 26, 2025, in Phoenix.
Howard was born exactly two years before D-Day to Jerome I. and Margie Polster in Cleveland. He was the oldest of five siblings – Richard (Fran), Marilyn Katzel (James), Carolyn Bayer (Todd) and David (deceased).
After graduating from Cleveland Heights High School, he attended The Ohio State University, where all the Polsters went and graduated from. While there, he met Adrienne Resnick, whom he married shortly after graduation and had 60 years together. During those years, he and Adrienne had three wonderful sons – Darrell (Diane), Jeremy (Virginie) and Devin (Joan), and four grandchildren.
After graduating from Ohio State, Howard went to work as a human resource professional, figuring it was safer if he were the one doing the hiring and firing. He worked at The World Bank in Washington, D.C., for 20 years, traveling extensively to developing countries.
Howard and Adrienne retired to Tucson, Ariz., to be somewhat close to one son who lived in Phoenix. Figuring seven years of the Arizona heat was enough, they moved to San Francisco, Calif., to be close to another son who lived there. This time, they moved closer and bought a two-family house together near Golden Gate Park.
Howard’s life was not always easy health wise. At 40, he got Type 1 diabetes, got cancer, had kidney problems and other things, but it was Parkinson’s disease that forced him to move from the hills of San Francisco to Phoenix, where, after two years, he had to move to a home care facility where he spent the last two years in a wheelchair.
Howard never had any regrets and loved his life. He loved swimming, and while living in Bethesda, Md., swam The Chesapeake Bay Swim (which was 4.4 miles of open water) more than 10 times. And, he topped that by completing the annual Manhattan Island Swim of 28.5 miles.
He loved to fix things. Build things. He was a true “Do-It-Yourselfer” – his favorite store being Home Depot. From splicing two electrical wires together – he wasn’t big on codes – to building an addition to his house, he did it all. While in Tucson, he volunteered at CHRPA (the Community Home Repair Project of Arizona).
And, most importantly, he loved his family and friends. He gave and never asked nor expected anything in return. He was the best brother, father, husband, grandfather and friend one could ever ask for.
If you want to make a donation in his memory, there is The New Shul (thenewshul.org). If you want to contact Adrienne: [email protected] or 520-437-5835.
