Nathan A. Greenberg's Obituary
Nathan Greenberg Obituary
Nathan A. Greenberg, 87, of Oberlin died November 15, 2015.Nate was born in Revere, Massachusetts on August 23, 1928, to Samuel and Jenny Marti Greenberg, the youngest of four children. His mother died when he was 10 years old and he was then cared for by his siblings, Si (Simon), Nocky (Leonora), and Bushy (Bernice). The four of them stayed close throughout their lives and each of their families benefited from their enduring and deeply affectionate bond. He graduated from Boys Latin School in Boston and then went on to Hebrew Teacher's College. A short time later, he went to Harvard where he earned his BA, MA, and PhD in Classics in 1950.There he met his wife, Eva Lucy Mueller. They married in 1952, and the two moved to Oberlin in 1956, where Nate was a professor of Classics at Oberlin College for over four decades. They had three children together. Nate distinguished himself as a gifted and inspiring professor. He was open, curious, and never took himself too seriously. He loved his department colleagues and they loved him. He stayed in touch with many of his students over the years. He was a pioneer in the use of computers to analyze ancient texts, and published scholarly studies on several Greek and Latin authors. He relished bringing forward various interpretations of difficult passages in these works. Nate's first love was family. He delighted in the company of his siblings, his wife, his children, grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He always made himself available to talk or play a game or watch TV together. He loved to share stories and ideas. He always showed genuine interest in the stories and experiences of others. He was warm and kind and lovable and adorable and smart and fun and funny. We could go on and on. He was a gem. He will be greatly missed.Nate and Eva moved to Kendal at Oberlin in 2005. They enjoyed living among their lifelong Oberlin friends, colleagues, and the new friends they made. The family appreciates the gentle care of his many Kendal caregivers and wonderful friends, and most especially, the attentive and exceptional care of Vertis Clements, who helped him live his final years to the fullest.Nate is survived by his children David Kaftan, Judith Kaftan and Lisa Greenberg, his daughter-in-law, Kristin Marra, his exchange student son, Henk van't Hull, his grandchildren, Natalie, Molly, Rachel, Brendan and Emma and his large and loving extended family. Preceding him in death were his beloved wife of sixty years, Eva, his siblings, Si, Nocky, and Bushy, and their spouses. He was the last of a great generation.There will be a graveside service at Westwood Cemetery in Oberlin on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. and a memorial celebration of his life at Kendal at Oberlin the following day on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at 2 p.m. Arrangements are in care of Dicken Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Elyria. For online condolences, visit www.dickenfuneralhome.com Donations can be made to the charitable organization of your choice. Kendal at Oberlin SERVICES Memorial Service Sunday, June 26, 2016 2:00 PM Kendal at Oberlin
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Nathan A. Greenberg, please visit our floral store.
Read More
What’s your fondest memory of Nathan?
What’s a lesson you learned from Nathan?
Share a story where Nathan's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Nathan you’ll never forget.
How did Nathan make you smile?