Irwin Gerald Rubin

Irwin Gerald Rubin, age 82, longtime resident of Smithtown, Long Island and proud native New Yorker, passed away on April 15, 2021. Mr. Rubin is survived by Iluminada “Lucy” Rubin, his loving wife of 57 years; his adoring mother-in-law, Sofia Torres; his daughters Sydelle Rubin-Dienstfrey (husband Andrew Dienstfrey) of Louisville, Colorado and Allison Rubin (partner Thomas Rudolph) of Hudson, New York; and his two grandsons - William Dienstfrey and Benjamin Dienstfrey of Louisville, Colorado. Mr. Rubin was preceded in death by his parents, William and Yetta Rubin, and his sister and brother-in-law, Rosalyn and Orencio Gonzalez, whose close bond he cherished dearly. Affectionately called “Whitey” (a nickname he received for his golden blonde hair) by childhood friends and relatives, Irwin made an unforgettable impression upon everyone he met. After attending City College of New York as a business major, he had an exemplary career as a manager and a buyer at Macys and Saks Fifth Avenue, and went on to be an award-winning realtor on Long Island. However, most important to Irwin was his devotion to family and lifelong friends whom he treasured. He gave from his heart with so many gestures, both big and small, but always meaningful. The photograph above captures Irwin as so many will remember him, truly in his element. Irwin was the life of the party and lit up the room at any gathering of friends and family. He loved to perform and would grab the mic to sing his favorites at festive occasions, entertaining the crowd with his medleys: All of Me, Kansas City, Shout, My Girl, and Sunny Side of the Street to name a few. He and his wife Lucy made a dazzling pair on the dance floor. They first met at the Statler Hotel, where mutual friends introduced them, recognizing that Irwin was the only one of the guys who was talented enough to cut a rug with this beautiful, young lady. Music was an immense part of Irwin’s life. As a teenager he watched live performances at landmarks like the Apollo Theater. This enthusiasm for music was shared by his father, Willie, who called him “Sonny Boy” and was also known to grab the mic at celebrations. Ray Charles was a favorite of both father and son. What’s more, incredible things happened to Irwin during his early years, special moments that could never happen in today’s world. He loved telling his grandsons about the time he met Bobby Darin just before the soon-to-be star would introduce “Splish Splash” to record producers. Darin played the song for Irwin and asked him what he thought of it. Needless to say, he thought it was pretty terrific. Years later, Irwin would bring his legendary “shoebox” of 45s to family gatherings, as no party was complete without his collection of Doo Wop and Rock and Roll: the Cadillacs, the Coasters, Little Richard, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Del Vikings, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Fats Domino, Dion and the Belmonts, and more. As the years went on, Irwin continued to enjoy live performances each summer at outdoor concerts on Long Island, even bringing his grandsons several times. Baseball was another passion of Irwin’s. A lifelong Yankee fan, Irwin was lucky enough to live during a time when he and his buddies could ride the subway with Mickey Mantle on the way to Yankee Stadium and catch a ball hit by Joe DiMaggio! He thought that everyone should be a Yankee fan and have the “Yes” channel! Last but certainly not least, Irwin was a gifted storyteller who enjoyed sharing memories that were both sweet and funny - of the good times he had at Fialkoff’s Bungalow Colony in the Catskills each summer as a kid with his family; heading back to Grandma Sadie’s apartment after a night out with pals to fill her in on the evening’s events and enjoy treats from her famous “closet” full of homemade goodies; playing stickball on the Lower East Side with his buddies; enjoying simple pleasures like his favorite dishes and desserts from the Horn & Hardart Automat - giving us so many reminiscences about the days of old, oftentimes bringing friends and family to tears with laughter. There is no doubt that Irwin’s life was full, and those who were lucky enough to know him will in turn forever be able to reminisce about all that he shared with us.

Irwin Gerald Rubin

June 1, 1938 - April 15, 2021