Joanna Greenwald remembers her larger-than-life father

By Geri Corey
CHESTER — To most of the world he was a man whose size and demeanor made him larger than life...a man who fought fiercely for what he believed was right. But Chester attorney Gary Greenwald, who died last July, had another side. He was a family man, a kind man, and a man of principle.
He was known to get on his knees and play tackle football in the living room with his children, Joanna, and her younger brother Jamie. He always brought toys home for them when he traveled. One of Joanna’s favorite activities was father/daughter dates going to New York City to see a play or go to a museum, afterward eating at Sal Anthony’s or Rocky’s on Mulberry St. in Little Italy. And something else few people know about this man: he put notes and poems of encouragement — and to remind her how much he loved her — under his daughter’s pillow for her to read in the morning before school.
As a young man, Gary met the love of his life, Diane Abramson. They almost reached their 45th anniversary when he died. They were a happy couple, Joanna said, even going to Woodstock together “rolling in the mud!”
When Gary lived in his hometown of Wurtsboro in Sullivan County, he was a volunteer fireman, often bringing his daughter with him to watch him and other firefighters in heroic action as they fought fires. Gary also served as the mayor of Wurtsboro for fourteen years. Joanna and the family campaigned for him by his side.
“He was rugged, like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality,” said Joanna. “Outsiders didn’t see the softness and humanity of the man he was: One who fiercely believed in loyalty to family and the Ten Commandments, often telling us, ‘believe in your G-d, tradition, and respect.’”
Her father’s words to live by, said Joanna, were, “G-d, family and friends...that’s all that matters.”
Of all the advice he gave his children and grandchildren to carry them along life’s bumpy roads, according to Joanna his most frequent words included a quote from Winston Churchill, “Never, never, never give up.” He went on to say, “Quitting is unacceptable. Give 110 percent no matter how difficult it is or your age — this advice still applies.”
From Budapest to QueensGary’s father was a first generation American who emigrated here from Budapest, Hungary, and his mother, who also was Hungarian, lived in New York City.
His parents first settled in Queens but soon relocated to Wurtsboro where they continued the family legacy of operating a pharmacy. Both of Gary’s older brothers, Martin and Dennis, carried on the tradition and became pharmacists.
When Gary was 19 years old, his father passed away, and both older brothers took over raising him. In fact, as an early job, he delivered prescriptions for the pharmacy and also worked as a bellhop, car attendant and waiter at several of the big hotels in Sullivan County’s Borscht Belt.
After spending two years at Orange County Community College, Gary went on to attend SUNY Binghamton, and then to Brooklyn Law School. “His brothers supported his ‘defection’ to become a lawyer rather than a pharmacist,” said Joanna.
Gary was a diverse individual, having many interests and talents. For more than 40 years, he worked in the legal profession, known for his tenacity in fighting for his clients. He was recognized as a Super Lawyer several years, including the year when he was ill. He was a professor at both Orange County and Sullivan County Community Colleges and a writer for The Times-Herald Record, the Independent Republican, and the Sullivan County Democrat, and he hosted political TV and radio talk shows.
Gary Greenwald was a kind man, a man who cared about others. He learned from his father who worked to centralize the school system in Sullivan County that there is no difference in people’s color, socio-economic, ethnic or religious backgrounds.
According to Joanna, her dad said it this way: “You never know who’s sitting across from you. Never judge. Treat everyone with respect. Treat others as you want to be treated — with compassion.”
He lived by his words, often donating food, shelter and clothing anonymously to those who needed it.
He taught his children the importance of their word and their handshake — “that’s all we have,” he said, “honesty in your word.”
“What I learned from my father at an early age is to never step on people on the way up, as they’ll be laughing at you on your way down,” said Joanna.
'Always be grateful'Joanna recalls her father picking up children in the poorer neighborhoods, bringing them to the park with balls, bats and footballs and having “pick-up” games after he had put in a full day’s work. He felt it was good for children to have a role model, if they didn’t have an active father in their lives, said Joanna. Gary always included his children in all activities and it was then that Joanna learned how to hit a ball and throw a pass.
“I could pass better than the boys, and I was the only girl on a Little League baseball team,” she revealed.
Gary used sports to teach his children some of life’s lessons. According to Joanna, he said, “Be grateful, always be grateful. People can take everything away, but they can’t take who you are. Be proud; keep your chin up. No crying in baseball, it’s a sign of weakness.”
The family came to Goshen when Joanna was 14 years old, and she attended the Middletown Hebrew Day School, a school founded by her parents. She matriculated seventh grade, then attended Goshen schools, graduating from Goshen High School
Joanna lived by her father’s words as she went through high school and Brooklyn Law School, always excelling in academics, giving 110 percent to her studies. As an alumna, Gary followed a long-standing Brooklyn Law School tradition and was on hand in Avery Fisher Hall, dressed in his graduation colors to present Joanna with her law school diploma — a proud moment for both father and daughter.
Following in her father’s footsteps, Joanna isn’t just an attorney, but a fierce attorney who gets things done. Always a woman’s advocate, she worked as assistant district attorney in Kings County, Brooklyn, in the Special Victims Unit — Domestic Violence. Thereafter she worked for her father for 17 years as his managing partner.
Word of her ability spread and she was recruited by Fox News to argue against celebrity attorneys.
“I was able to be plaintiff and defense in every area of law,” she noted.
From there she worked for CNN, HLN (Headline News), truTV, Discovery Channel ID and MNSBC, working on hundreds of cases through the years. Once more, Dad was a proud man, at one time joyously picking her up and twirling her around.
Gary’s oldest grandson, Joanna’s son Landry, known affectionally as “Bubba,” sure misses not being able to watch football with Pops. “The
Giants is a religion in this house,” said Joanna.
Said Bubba, “He was my best friend. He taught me to be proud of myself. We even had our own crazy language that we spoke together! It was fun. We also loved the outdoors together, walking through the forest. He even wrote stories for my two cousins and me. It was nice; I could always be myself around him.”
Learning from her father how to write poetry — and since he liked unique presents — Joanna started writing poems as gifts to her Dad. Landry, too, has begun writing meaningful poems.
“My Dad accepted everyone,” said Joanna, adding, “He gave unconditional love, and I was blessed to have received that from him. He was a partner to me professionally for 17 years, a mentor, a hero and the most wonderful father.
“I pray my kisses, hugs and all the I love you’s I told him were heard and felt. He will always be my guiding light. To my father I say, ‘Your little girl listened and heard you — my family and I will never quit.’"