Obituary of Morton W. Rutenberg

Morton W. Rutenberg, age 94, passed away on Monday, January 19, 2015 at Arbor Glen Nursing Home in Bridgewater. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, but eventually resided in North Plainfield. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and married Ruth Joffe in 1942 before joining the Army Air Force as an aerial photo intelligence officer during WWII. He was stationed in Italy and was an analyst of oil refinery bomb damage for which he was awarded the Bronze Star. After the war, he completed a doctorate in organic chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania and eventually moved to NJ where he worked at National Starch and Chemical Corporation in Plainfield. He eventually became a Research Vice President for the company. He was the holder of many patents and authored several book chapters in his field. Morton was a member of the American Association of Cereal Chemists, AAAS, Sigma Xi, American Chemical Society, American Institute of Chemists and the Royal Chemical Society (London). He has served as Treasurer, Secretary and Executive Secretary of the Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry, American Chemical Society. He is a recipient of the Melville L. Wolfrom Award of the Carbohydrate Division, ACS (1987). Dr. Rutenberg was active in community affairs. He was a member of the Board of Education in North Plainfield and served as President of Temple Sholom which was then in Plainfield. Even in his 80's he was leading group discussions of current events at a local church. He is survived by a son Joel Rutenberg and his wife Gini Tate; a sister Isobel Broad; three grandchildren Amy, Adam, and David, and a great grandson Benjamin Best. Ruth, his beloved wife of 71 years, recently passed away in June 2014. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2015, at 11:30 a.m. with Rabbi Joel Abraham officiating at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd, Watchung, NJ. Interment will follow at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Iselin, NJ. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.