Obituary of Wolfgang Husserl Rosenberg

Wolfgang Rosenberg died at his Santa Cruz home at the age of 89. Born in Berlin, Germany, to Jakob Rosenberg and Elizabeth Husserl, his family emigrated to the United States in 1937, when his father Jakob accepted a professorship in Art History at Harvard University. In 1943, age 16, Wolfgang enrolled in Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. At 18, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a radar operator on a Destroyer (USS Chevalier) in the 5th Fleet. As Wolfgang would say, "It was Admiral Nimitz's world on the sea -- an almost unimaginable, a mighty fighting force." When the war ended, he resumed his studies at Bowdoin, graduating in Literature. Later, he attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, earning a Master's degree in Public Administration. Wolfgang began his 40-year government career working with the Social Security Administration and ended his career with the Department of Energy. His primary position during those years was as a Public Relations Officer. Wolfgang moved to Santa Cruz 20 years ago and immediately began to involve himself with civic-minded people of our community. He was a familiar face at nearly every Santa Cruz City Council meeting, and enjoyed being active in city politics. At the same time, he studied Theater Arts at UCSC. Every morning, Wolfgang could be seen leaving for the University with his backpack and a grin on his face. He liked being greeted by younger students. He leaves many dear friends and colleagues whose friendships were made in Monday evening meetings of "Penny University." He joined Lifelong Learners (now known as OLLI) in 1997, serving as President in 2001. Wolfgang has been described by his many friends as charming, curious and delightful. He was extremely perceptive, seeing the world in his own unique way. He was known for his thoughtfulness and generosity. He leaves his loving companion, Norma DelGaudio, his three sons; Benjamin (Ann), Jeremy (Cindy), and David (Judy), and five grandchildren; Sarah, Julia, Josh, and Rachel. He was preceded in death by his son John in 1981 and his sister Ruth Medalia in 2006. Any kind acts of charity may be sent to the Homeless Service Center, 115A Coral Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; and to Hospice of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066. There will be a gathering in his honor at a later date. To send a condolence or share a memory with Wolfgang's family please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com.