In Memoriam

HENRY HARRIS ISAACSON

April 29, 1933 – June 27, 2024

Henry Harris Joel Isaacson died peacefully at Beacon Place in Greensboro on Thursday, June 27, 2024, after a brief illness.  He was 91 years old.  He loved his family and his community, and his impact on both will carry on for generations.

Henry was the younger of two children and was born to Ida Harris and Moses Lewis Isaacson of Greensboro on April 29, 1933.  He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Sarah (Sally) Isaacson Gelb, of New York.

Henry loved his hometown and was a proud graduate of Greensboro Senior High School (now Grimsley Senior High School).  He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1955 and met his wife to be, Alice Diane Feder, while in college.  He worked as an usher at the Carolina Theatre to earn money to travel to see her on weekends while she was in school at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland.  They were married in August, 1954.  Henry graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1958 with honors and as a member of the North Carolina Law Review.  

After law school, Henry served as a Captain in the United States Air Force in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), returning to his beloved Greensboro to practice law in 1961 with the firm of Block, Meyland & Lloyd.  In 1968, he joined the firm of Stern, Rendleman & Isaacson and practiced general corporate law with that firm until he started his own law firm in 1980.  His son, Marc Isaacson, joined him in 1983, and Henry practiced law with the firm of Isaacson Sheridan until December, 2022.  He was considered a leading land use attorney by the North Carolina Business Journal and was often recognized for his work.

Henry believed in public service, a legacy he passed on to his family.  Some of the organizations he served were the Greensboro Jaycees, where he was President in 1967, the Greensboro ABC Board (1980-1988), North Carolina State A & T University (1999-2007), International Civil Rights Museum & Center (Sit-In Movement, Inc.), among many others.  He was Chairman of the National Conference of Christians & Jews (now known as NCCJ) from 1975-1991, and he gratefully received that organization’s Citation Award in 2005.

During his work with his good friend, Stanley Frank, Henry developed a love of the Piedmont Triad International Airport and served on the PTI Authority Board beginning in 1999 and as the Chairman from 2003 through 2014.  He was involved in expanding the property of the Airport as a means to recruit various aviation businesses to the Triad Area, including FedEx and Honda Jet.  The Triad Business Journal recognized him for many years as among the most influential leaders in the Triad Area.  He received the North Carolina Bar Association Citizen Lawyer Award in 2010. 

Raised as a member of Temple Emanuel, Henry was committed to his Jewish faith and served as Secretary, Vice President and, from 1968-1970, as President of Temple Emanuel.

Family was the center of his world, and every Sunday night he held “family night’ with all of the children and grandchildren.  He is survived by his beloved wife of 69 years, Alice; his son and law partner, Marc Isaacson (Jill Wilson); his daughters, Gail Bernstein (Steve Bernstein), of Greensboro, North Carolina, and Carol Basile, of Columbus, Ohio; and, to his great pride, his eight grandchildren:  Sarah Castellano (Rob), Allison Isaacson (Arom Nadjmabadi), Robert Bernstein (Kristin), Charles Bernstein (Amanda), Katherine Bernstein, Andrew Basile (Melissa), Gabrielle Basile and Marco Basile; and two great-grandchildren:  George Bernstein and Roya Nadjmabadi.  

 

CHARLES WILLIAM SAUNDERS, JR.

August 28, 1942 – June 10, 2024

Charles William Saunders, Jr., of Greensboro, North Carolina, passed away at age 81 on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Heritage Greens Senior Living Center.

Charles was born in Rockingham County, North Carolina, to the late Charles W. Saunders, Sr. and Doris Jefferson Saunders on August 28, 1942.  He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Eden, North Carolina.

Charles served his country as a Lieutenant in the United States Army and graduated from Wofford College and the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill.  He built a distinguished career at First Union Bank, later Wachovia and Wells Fargo, advising clients on financial planning as a trust officer.  He was a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and the Greensboro Bar Association.

Charles was very active, running marathons and pursuing outdoor adventures across the world.  He was involved with First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro as well as Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

Charles committed himself fully to fostering youth and community development.  He was a board member of A & T State University, the Guilford Child Development Center, Greensboro Rotary, Senior Resources of Guilford, and North Carolina for Community and Justice.  Through a volunteer reading program, he met and mentored Trae White, who became a family friend.

Charles is survived by his wife, Victoria Vanstory Saunders; his step-daughters Kelly Youngken Smith (Rob) of Arlington, Virginia, and Abigail Youngken Compton (Matthew) of Arlington, Virginia; four grandsons; niece Deb Stewart of Raleigh, North Carolina, and nephews Barry Gillespie of Geneva, Alabama, Tim Gillespie of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Bradley Gillespie of Acworth, Georgia.  His parents and his sister, Ann Gillespie, precede him in death.