David Weintraub celebrated his 96th birthday on Monday, April 27, with a serenade by the Sweet Adelines, a local barbershop quartet, who stood on the front lawn of his West Hartford home – a respectable social distance away – and sang the many love songs he and his beloved wife Shirley cherished.

For David, it was not only the perfect way to celebrate his birthday, but also a touching way to remember the 70 joyful years he spent married to his high school sweetheart Shirley, who passed away a few years ago.

Shirley was David’s “angel on earth,” recalls Leni Weintraub, one of the couple’s three children. Theirs “was the most beautiful love story,” she says. 

The couple traveled the world, enjoyed going to the theater – including the Goodspeed Opera House, Hartford Stage and Theaterworks, where they held season tickets –  frequented local restaurants, cheered loudly for UConn’s women’s basketball team (he captained his high school basketball team), and supported many charitable organizations.  

“My Dad generously supported many organizations, as he had strong feelings about giving back and sharing his good fortune,” says Leni, noting that her father, having lost his own father at a young age, felt especially committed to the Big Brother program.

Among his many hobbies, David, who had a pilot’s license, loved flying to Block Island and Martha’s Vineyard. He also skied and scuba dived, played tennis and took great pride in digging in the dirt and planning his garden every summer..

But his true love remains his family. In addition to his late wife, that includes his three children, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. 

Guided by his mantra “one day at a time,” David’s advice to all is to love your family and, especially during these precarious times, to take all precautions to stay healthy. “If you have your family and your health,” he says, “you have everything.”

“My dad is an extraordinary individual. Generous, bright, compassionate and very quick – to this day he still rolls out with one-liners and side-eyes that make you roar with laughter and surprise,” says Sue Weintraub who, at 66, is the baby of the family.  “He has always had a profound understanding of the macro and micro views of the world, with unique insights about everything from business and technology to human nature and relationships,” she adds. “He’s my role model for how to live life fully, responsibly and with love and understanding.”

Main Photo: Shirley and David Weintraub celebrated their 70th anniversary on a cruise.