Hartstein remembered for dedication to family, education
Family members and more than 100 mourners remembered Ray Hartstein as a loving father and never-ending proponent of education during funeral services Tuesday for the 96-year-old founder of Oakton Community College.
While Hartstein had many professional accomplishments over several decades, several generations of family recalled him most as a devoted father and grandfather.
"He has done so much to inspire others, but to me, he was the man I was proud to call 'Dad,'" said son Elliott Hartstein, former mayor of Buffalo Grove.
Hartstein was the founding chairman of the Oakton Community College board and a member for 35 years. He was a former president of the Rotary Club of Skokie Valley, as well as past president and board member of Orchard Village, which provides services to those with developmental disabilities. Over the years, Hartstein carved out a successful career in the field of industrial relations, beginning with General Motors in the 1940s.
One of his daughters referred to Oakton as a seventh sibling in Hartstein family after her father helped found the community college in 1969. The college's Skokie campus and several scholarships are named for Hartstein.
Another son, Barry, spoke about his father's work ethic and constant quest to learn and teach others.
"His thirst for knowledge never ceased to amaze me," Barry said.
That included putting together his own prayer books known as haggadahs for annual Passover seders, then peppering the meals with questions that family members had to be prepared to answer correctly, his grandchildren said.
"Dad's accomplishments are many, but his role as a loving husband, his love and excitement for his kids and grandkids defined him as a man devoted to his family," Elliott Hartstein said.
His sons and daughter remembered when Ray met his wife, Rhea, in the early 1960s and they combined their two families into one.
"Those were our 'Brady Bunch' years," Elliot said.
Along with Rhea, Hartstein is survived by five of his six children, and many grand children and great-grandchildren.