Herbert Ruben
Herbert Samuel Ruben, 94, of Princeton passed away on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at home surrounded by his loving family.
He was born in Buffalo, NY on April 25, 1930 to Michael Leo Ruben and Mary Honikman Ruben.
He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1952, with a BA in economics.
He served in the US Army from 1953-55, and was stationed in Germany. He returned to University of Michigan Law School, and obtained his JD in 1957.
Herbert met his future wife, Ernestine at the University of Michigan and they were married in 1958.
Herbert had a long career at Merrill Lynch beginning in 1957. When he retired in 1990 he served as Senior Vice President, overseeing consumer markets sector. Among other locations, he and Ernie spent two years in Geneva, Switzerland and two years in Amsterdam, Holland.
Herbert and Ernestine traveled extensively throughout every continent in the world, most memorably Antarctica, Tibet, South Africa. They also lived part time in Paris for over a decade.
Herbert had a great passion for classical music, opera, theatre, films, Broadway, and visual arts. He was on the Board of Carnegie Hall, Shen Wei Dance Company, NY Philharmonic and supported the The University of Michigan Museum of Art, to name a few. Devoted to the theater, he served to bring investors to Tony-nominated Broadway musicals Godspell and Eubie. He also volunteered for environmental research projects in Borneo and Australia with Earthwatch, and cooked in the kitchen of the non profit Gods Love We Deliver.
Herbert is survived by a family that loved him deeply including his wife, Ernestine Winston Ruben and their four children, Phillips (Flip) Ruben, Caroline (Carla) Ruben, Lisa Ruben, and Erica Ruben Hadzic. He is also survived by his grandchildren Ilana, Noah, Forrest, Annika, Zachary, Poulia, Dionysius (deceased), Tatiana and Sophia and step-grandson Filip.
A Funeral Service will be held at 12:00PM on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at Star of David Memorial Chapel of Princeton, 40 Vandeventer Avenue Princeton, NJ. Burial will follow in the Princeton Cemetery, 29 Greenview Avenue Princeton, NJ.