Strombotne / Specht

Benjamin Perlmutter, of Maplewood, New Jersey, passed away on September 11 at age 96. Born in Newark, NJ to Russian immigrants, he was a 1942 graduate of Weequahic High School where he was elected Senior Class President. He then graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with his time there interrupted by Army service.

Ben received his JD from Rutgers University, Newark, Law School, attending school at night while serving during the day as the first Assistant Director of the Newark Housing Authority, working to improve the quality and availability of the City's affordable housing. Ben went on to work with his father-in-law, Cecil Lurie, founder of Atlas Steel products which in later years became Benco. He remained active in legal work as an expert witness, mediator, and arbitrator.

He leaves his wife of 68 years, Ruth Lurie Perlmutter; daughters, Amy Perlmutter and Risa Perlmutter Goldstein; son-in-law, Eli Goldstein; and his two grandchildren, Adam Julian Goldstein and Hannah Serena Goldstein.