Obituary of Hy Rosen

LOUDONVILLE - Hy Rosen, 88, died peacefully on Thursday February 24, 2011, at his home in Loudonville, NY. Born in Albany on February 10, 1923, Hy was the son of the late Myer and Ray Bellin Rosen of Albany. He is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Elaine L. Rosen and his children Ed (Margo) of Delmar, Eve of Delmar, and Benjamin of Loudonville, as well as adoring grandchildren Arielle, Claire, and Josh. Hy was predeceased by sisters Mary (Leonard) Patlen of Sarasota, FL and Rose (Philip) Ziffer of Niskayuna. With a career spanning 45 years, Hy was the long-time editorial cartoonist for the Albany Times Union until his retirement in1989. For years, residents of the Capital District awoke to find his sharp wit and humor appearing in political cartoons on the editorial page under the heading "As Hy Rosen Sees It". Later in his career, he worked actively as a sculptor, with many of his life-size bronze works adorning the City of Albany. Hy was a graduate of Albany Public Schools, including Philip Schuyler High School in 1940. He went on to study at the Chicago Art Institute and the New York Art Students League. In 1942, he enlisted in the US Army and served in the 604th Engineers Camouflage Battalion in Ardennes, Normandy and northern France during World War II. In 1945, Hy began his long career at the Albany Times Union. During a job interview with George O. Williams, art murals done during Hy's wartime service captured the newspaper publisher's attention and Mr. Rosen was offered work as an illustrator. His first work included small illustrations Union offices were located on that street in downtown Albany. At the newspaper Hy progressed to doing weekly drawings of local sport celebrities. Beginning in the 1950's and through the 1980's, he was offered the opportunity to provide illustrated opinions on all manner of local, state, national and world news of the day on the editorial pages. During his early years of professional development, he was encouraged and supported by Times Union publisher Gene Robb and managing editor Dan Button. Throughout Hy's work as a cartoonist he achieved national recognition. In 1950, 1955, and 1960, Mr. Rosen was invited to Valley Forge , PA to receive Freedoms Foundation' s highest award. Other awards for the universal themes of justice and American ideals expressed in Hy's cartoons included the National Conference of Christians & Jews Media Award (1965), Pope John XIII Award, Italian-American Council, Amsterdam, NY (1968), American Legion National Media Award (1980), and AHEPHA Award, Greek-American Chapter #140 (1989). Many of Hy's editorial cartoons eventually became holdings in the Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford Presidential Libraries - as well as the New York State Library. Hy also enjoyed the company of his art-brush colleagues and was a member of numerous professional organizations. These included the National Cartoonist Society, and the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists, an organization he helped found in the 1960's; in 1972, Hy served as national president of the AAEC. Following his retirement from the Times Union in 1989, Hy expanded on a new interest - sculpting. Many of his sculptures have become an integral part of the City of Albany; a 6' 4" bronze rendering of the Seal of Albany located at the Tricentennial Park on Broadway; a 7' bronze work entitled "The Gray Rider" located at the NYS Police Academy; a 9' bronze statue "Womens Verterans Memorial" at the NY Empire State Plaza; and a 16" bronze statue, "Warsaw Ghetto Child" at the NY State Museum. Most recently, Hy entered the area of publication. He co-authored with Peter Slocum and illustrated a work in 1998 entitled "From Rocky to Pataki" reviewing tumultuous state politics from the 1960's through the 1990's. Funeral services will take place Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 2 pm at Congregation Ohav Shalom, 113 New Krumkill Rd, Albany, NY. Interment will follow at Temple Israel Cemetery, Western Ave, Guilderland, NY. The traditional receipt of visitors by the family will take place Sunday through Thursday evening from 6 to 9pm, at 18 Cheshire Way, Loudonville, NY, and will include Ma'ariv services held at 7 pm. Memorial donations may be made to American Friend of Magen David Adom, ARMDI Northeast Region, 352 Seventh Avenue Suite # 400 , New York, NY 10071, Hy Rosen Endowed Award for Excellence in Drawing and Painting, College of St. Rose ( Institutional Advancement) 432 Western Avenue Albany, NY 12203 or Community Hospice, 445 New Karner Road Albany, NY 12205.