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Harvey L. Raisner, CT educator for 30 years, passes at age 88
Harvey Lewis Raisner, 88, died on May 27th. He was a long-time resident of West Hartford and taught primarily at Conard High School.
Harvey Lewis Raisner, 88, died on May 27th, in Boynton Beach, Florida. He lived in Connecticut for over 30 years prior to retiring to Florida.
Born on March 6, 1937, in Providence, RI. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1959, and received a Master’s in Education from Yeshiva University in 1960. Also in 1960, he married Elaine (Richman), his wife of 65 years.
Harvey began his career teaching at Rhode Island College and Scituate High School, RI.
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He served as vice president of the Providence, RI ACLU chapter. He proudly participated in the March on Washington in 1963, where he witnessed Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech.
In 1966, he moved his young family to Bloomfield and then West Hartford, CT where he taught U.S. History and the social sciences at Hall High and Conard High Schools for 30 years. He also taught at the University of Hartford.
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He was a member of Beth El Temple in West Hartford and head of its Board of Education for several years.
He and Elaine retired to Boynton Beach, FL in 1997. He was president of the men’s club for 8 years, managed the Banyan Springs tennis group, served on multiple committees and was a trombone-playing band member. Harvey volunteered at the Boynton Beach Soup Kitchen for over 20 years. He was a tennis player, avid reader and U.S. Civil Rights historian.
Harvey is survived by his beloved wife, Elaine; adored children: Bruce Raisner (Carolyn) of Marblehead, MA; Beth Glass (Michael) of San Diego, CA; and Lisa Schwarzwald (Sam) of Sudbury, MA, and Anne Raisner (daughter-in law) of Newport, RI. He is predeceased by his son, Dr. Adam Raisner. He leaves behind 9 grandchildren: Liv, Andrew, Jonah, Nate, Will (Gaby), Luke, Zachary, Spencer and Adena. Also surviving him are brothers, Myron Raisner (Joanne) and Fred Raisner; brother-in-law Sid Richman; and nine nieces and nephews.
Donations in Harvey’s memory may be made to the ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Simon Wiesenthal’s Tolerance Museum in Los Angeles, or a charity of your choice. A New England Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
