Eleanor and Arthur Herzman

A Team in Business, Community, Life

San Diego Living Legacy Award

The Herzmans met in 1950 when Eleanor and Arthur were attending San Diego State University. Arthur retired from the Navy and was attending school on the G.I. Bill and Eleanor was acquiring her M.A. in Education. They married in 1952 to become a team, in every sense of the word.

When Arthur and Eleanor teamed up they began in earnest to build an estate in rental property so they could live well and devote their time, energy and philanthropy to the organizations, groups, causes and missions they believed in. (Arthur was the "wheeler and dealer" and Eleanor the dotter of I's and crosser of T'S.) This allowed them to engage in philanthropy when Eleanor retired in 1970 after twenty years as an elementary school principal.

Together they became Bravissimo members of the San Diego Opera, giving numerous cast parties (Eleanor served two terms on the Board of Directors as Chairman three years as Chairman of the Docents, when Arthur opera recordings for the docent's use); the Craig Noel Circle of the Old Globe Theatre (Eleanor working on teen tours.) They earned emeritus status as organizers and supporters of the Gilbert and Sullivan Civic Opera Company, now Comic Opera Company; and best of all, they gave dinners for VIPs whose large contributions formed the nucleus of support for Father Joe's St. Vincent de Paul's Home for the Homeless.

Arthur served on the Boards of Senior Adult Services; the U.S.O. contributing heavily to YMCA Armed Forces for Performing Arts at the time the kiosk was established; became an annual donor of two tables at the Mercy Hospital Ball for the Mercy Clinic Staff; and gave Boys and Girls Aid Society Auxiliary use of a business building as a Thrift Shop for fourteen years.

Eleanor served on Charter Boards of Voices for Children (now Gold Diggers) and LUV-Love Uniting Volunteers-the support group for St. Paul's Home for Elderly. She served many terms on Board and as President of San Diego County Chapter of Freedom's Foundation at Valley Forge (Eleanor along with the late Margaret Sands, was responsible for the establishment of National Chapter's annual sponsorship of Youth Leadership Conferences.) She was deeply involved with Friends of First Ladies, which funded the restoration of the popular exhibit at the Smithsonian Museums. She is most proud of her work as three-times Board member of Boys and Girls Aid Society, as well as the decade of the 90's. She served three terms as President (with Arthur's help) and ten terms as Founding Administrator and two terms as Scholarship Chairman of Children's Action League's Day Care Center on the campus at City Heights' Hamilton Elementary School.

The Herzmans at age 90 also maintain active memberships in San Diego Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Man, Rueben H. Fleet Space Center, Scripp's Marine Biology, U.S. Navy League, English Speaking Union, Circumnavigators, Mercy Hospital Auxiliary and Hall of Champions Auxiliary.

We, at Women's International Center, are proud to know Margaret and Arthur Herzman are valued members, as well. With admiration and pride we present the San Diego Living Legacy 2001 to this fabulous team.

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