Edward Hamburg, 87, from retail to teaching
When the department store where he was a manager closed, Edward Hamburg, then in his early 50s, went back to school.
When the department store where he was a manager closed, Edward Hamburg, then in his early 50s, went back to school.
"He had always wanted to go into education," his wife, Jeannine, said, but after he earned his bachelor's degree, his parents pressed him to continue working at their dry-goods store in Paulsboro.
With his career in family and corporate retail behind him, Mr. Hamburg began a teaching career by earning a master's in education at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
On Thursday, April 9, Mr. Hamburg, 87, of Cherry Hill, who retired at 75 as a business professor at Rowan College at Gloucester County, died of sepsis at Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
Born in Paulsboro, Mr. Hamburg graduated from Paulsboro High School and earned a bachelor's at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
He had worked at his parents' store while in high school and college and, his wife said, because "his parents sent him to college," he continued working for them after graduation.
At one point, he left them to work for the E.J. Korvette discount department-store chain, where he rose to manage its stores in Springfield, Delaware County, and Audubon, Camden County.The chain declared bankruptcy in 1980.
So he decided it was time to look for an education that would put him at the front of a classroom, his wife said.
After he earned his master's in education, he began teaching business courses at Gloucester County College, which in 2014 became Rowan College at Gloucester County.
"They employed him because of his background before he got his master's, his business background," his wife said.
Henry Ryder, who teaches economics at the college, said Mr. Hamburg taught marketing and advertising.
"He was very much liked by students, a fatherly guy," Ryder said. "He always showed up to class with a coat and tie on."
And, Ryder said, "he was devoted to the college.
"He was maybe the only retired faculty member who would come to graduation," parading with the active faculty in cap and gown.
A scholarship to help students continue their undergraduate studies is named after him.
For more than 10 years, Mr. Hamburg was the chairman for a B'nai B'rith program in Cherry Hill, which sponsored college scholarships.
"He loved the work," his wife said. "He was very educationally minded."
Besides his wife, Mr. Hamburg is survived by son Jeffrey, daughter Karen Hamburg, and two grandchildren.
A visitation was set from 9:30 a.m., Sunday, April 12, at Platt Memorial Chapels, 2001 Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill, before a 10 a.m. funeral there, with interment in Roosevelt Memorial Park, Trevose.
Donations may be sent to the Rowan College at Gloucester County Foundation, 1400 Tanard Rd., Sewell, N.J. 08080.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.plattmemorial.com.
610-313-8134 @WNaedele
