Harvey Hoberman of Essex succumbed to acute illness on Jan. 23. He will be missed, but warmly remembered by his family, friends, and professional colleagues. Harvey was born Dec. 26, 1935, of Marcus Hoberman and Jean Rubinstein Hoberman, West Hartford.
He earned his B.A. from the University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts & Sciences in 1957, and his J.D. from the Law School in 1960. He then received a master of law from New York University. While attending UConn, Harvey was active with the Interfraternity Council and was a member of the Phi Sigma Delta Fraternity. Harvey remained deeply committed to UConn. He served as a member of the UConn Law School Foundation Board of Trustees. He created and funded an endowed Fellowship for law students. He also supported UConn’s Hillel Foundation. He was a lifelong Husky basketball fan and bled blue. Yankee and Red Sox games were a major personal and social event.
Harvey married Joan Solomkin in 1963, and they raised two daughters, Anna and Julie. Harvey was very proud of their professional achievements. The family lived initially in West Hartford, and moved to their permanent home in Essex in 1984. Harvey was predeceased by his cherished wife, Joan, in 1997. Harvey co-founded the law firm of Hoberman and Pollack in 1969 with his partner Elliot Pollack. This became one of the larger legal firms in Connecticut. By 1994, the firm had offices in Hartford, Bridgeport, and Boston. Harvey’s legal career was devoted to commercial transactions, particularly representing banks. He took a great deal of pride in getting the most complicated legal issues untangled and few were better at getting a deal done.
Harvey is survived by his daughters Julie and Anna (Greg Lowrey); his grandsons Jonah and Elias Lowrey; and his brother Edwin Hoberman (Lisa) and his three children, Jennifer Rosenfeld (Joel), Matthew Hoberman (Dena), and Max Hoberman. Other survivors include Ruth Solomkin, Harvey’s mother-in-law; brother-in-law Joseph Solomkin (Diane Parsons) and his son Mark Solomkin (kelli); and Harvey’s longtime companion, Penny Parker.
Funeral services were Jan. 27 at Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek, 55 East Kings Highway, Chester, with interment in Riverview Cemetery, Essex. Memorial contributions can be made to the Joan Hoberman and Harvey Hoberman ‘60 Scholarship Fund at the UConn School of Law (UConn Foundation, Inc. at 2390 Alumni Dr., Unit 3206, Storrs, Connecticut 06269), or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Funeral arrangements by Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main St., Centerbrook.
