Edward Horowitz, 81, was a bar owner and ‘walking sports encyclopedia’
He had a fascination with the Army growing up, enlisted on his 18th birthday, and was eventually stationed at Sandia Base in Albuquerque, N.M.
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- Edward Horowitz
- 81 years old
- Lived in South Philly
- This former U.S. Army MP owned a Rittenhouse Square bar
Edward Horowitz served as a military policeman in the Army and owned a bar on Rittenhouse Square. One would think he was a tough guy to have done such jobs. But when it came to his family, he never shied away from showing his emotions.
“He made sure everybody knew how he felt about them,” said son Ian. “He wore his emotions on his sleeve. My one sister lives in Tampa, and the other one is in Mays Landing. He talked to them every day, every couple of days. He saw me a lot because I lived near him."
Mr. Horowitz, 81, who lived in South Philadelphia and Blue Bell before spending his final years at the Southeastern Veterans’ Center in Spring City, died Sunday, May 10, at Phoenixville Hospital from complications of the coronavirus. He was diagnosed five years ago with prostate cancer but battled the disease, with his doctor calling him a “miracle patient.”
A graduate of South Philadelphia High School, he had a fascination with the Army growing up and enlisted on his 18th birthday. He was eventually stationed at Sandia Base in Albuquerque, N.M.
“Being Jewish in the military was really tough back then,” his son said. “One time he was out with some friends, and some soldiers started giving him a hard time. Then somebody whispered to the guy who was bullying him, ‘Hey, he’s an MP.’ And they were saying, ‘Oh, we’re sorry. We’ll leave you alone now.’ ”
Perhaps Mr. Horowitz’s biggest thrill was standing guard outside the hotel room of President John F. Kennedy and meeting him, his son said.
After the military, Mr. Horowitz worked as a Philadelphia police officer and then entered the restaurant business. He bought the Bullshot Saloon at 19th and Sansom Streets, where some of his regular customers were the DJs and staff at the nearby radio station WMMR-FM.
Mr. Horowitz was a diehard Eagles and Flyers fan and a “walking encyclopedia of Philadelphia sports,” his son said.
“The one thing I’m going to miss is after every single Flyers game, we talked,” he said. “We dissected the game. I’m a hockey guy, and he loved his sports going back to Franklin Field with the Eagles.”
In addition to his son, Mr. Horowitz is survived by daughters Paige and Dana; a sister; ex-wife Bonnie Liss Horowitz; and four grandchildren.
— Joe Juliano, jjuliano@inquirer.com