Bernie and Bobby
Bernie was born on October 21st,
1944 in Newark, New Jersey at the Beth Israel Hospital, followed by Bobby on May 28th,
1948.
Bernie was a rather quiet child, usually
well behaved. After living for a few years in Brooklyn, and later in the Wavecrest
Apartments in Far Rockaway, we moved in 1955 into our own house in the Bayswater section
of Far Rockaway, where both boys spent most of their years until they moved out when they
were married. Both Bernie and Bobby graduated from Far Rockaway High School which, at the
time , was one of the best schools in the city. Bernie always was a very hard worker, both
in school, and in College (Long Island University) and finally in Columbia University
School of Pharmacy, where he graduated in 1967. For the next 6 years he worked in various
pharmacies to gain experience, until 1974, when he bought a pharmacy in Brooklyn. When the
pharmacy had reached its full potential he added a mail order operation in the early
1990's which has been expanding rapidly over the past years. Both operations are doing
well.
As to Bernie’s qualities in running a
business, the following is the copy of a letter we received from Bernie’s youngest
son Charles recently:
December 17, 1998
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
Thank you very much for the Chanukah gift.
Although I love life at school, it feels
good to be back home. One of my favorite things is working at my father’s store. I
have an opportunity to see a side of him I never saw before, one of a business man. I am
proud to be his son. I wish you could see how he operates it - you too would be proud.
Sincerely, Charles
In 1967 Bernie married Rochelle Jewell
Shapiro, a young lady who also attended Far Rockaway High School and then attended Queens
College, studying to be a teacher. After graduation she worked as a teacher until our
oldest grand daughter Heather was on the way.
Rochelle was a highly talented painter until
a few years ago when she developed an allergy to the chemicals in the paints which forced
her to give up this activity. Her painting of our family hangs in our living room and is
greatly admired by all who see it. Now she uses her talents in literary pursuits.
Heather last year graduated from Columbia
University, almost to the day 30 years later as her father did in 1967 at the same
university. Now she is looking forward to a career in the field of fashion publicity where
she is presently working.
Charles, a very level headed and sensitive
boy is presently finishing his second year at the State University at Albany, but has not
decided on a career as yet. But we are sure that he will be successful in whatever career
he intends to follow.
Bobby always was an extremely lively boy,
best characterized by his older brother in his homework assignment as follows:
Bernie Natt - 6-12 Feb. 26, 1961
English 607B
Mrs. Clinger
On May 28, 1948, our family had a new
member. He was a cute, plump, bald and toothless bundle of joy. Today this same boy is not
quite as cute, still plump, blond and has a fine set of teeth. At times he is the nicest
boy you’ll ever want to meet. At other times he is a little brat, calling names and
yelling. A brother like this can come in very handy. If anyone in the house is missing
something, they can look in Bobby’s room and the chances are that it would be there.
He is a funny kid. he loves to read the paper on the floor but he hates to pick it up. The
den really becomes a mess after my brother goes through the Sunday edition of the New York
Times. He is popular, maybe too popular because his friends like him so much that they may
call him at 7 o’clock on a Sunday morning or eleven o’clock on a week night.
Although my bother may be a brat, this house would not be the same without him.
Bobby always was very active, he joined the
Boy Scouts affiliated with our temple and became an Eagle Scout in 1964. Then he went to
Queens College at the time of the students unrest and became the leader of the
conservative students group. After graduating he enlisted in the Air National Guard and
after completing the basic training entered Columbia
University and finished his studies there with a Masters Degree in Business
Administration.
After working for about 5 years for one of
the large accounting firms, Arthur Anderson, he was fired on the spot when they found out
that he was looking for a better job. He then joined the Holland-America lines as director
of finance and marketing. When the company decided to move their headquarters to Seattle
he resigned and after two years with Health America in Philadelphia, a HMO, he joined
Physician’s Health Services, where he became President of the Corporation in 1996.
And when this firm was taken over by Foundation Health Services, a very large West Coast
HMO he became director of the firm for the East Coast.
On May 3rd, 1971, he was married
to Helen Marie McKerlie, a young lady also from Far Rockaway whom he had met at Queens
College where she was studying Psychology and obtained a Masters Degree in this field.
Before the marriage she converted to Judaism. After her graduation she taught for a while
at Brooklyn College, but stopped when their first child Beth Cheryl was on the way. Beth
was born on August 13th, 1976, to be followed by Thomas on December 13th,
1979.
Beth graduated from Bates College in Maine in May 1998 and is now a medical
student at University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
She married Jeffrey R. Borofsky, also of Easton, Connecticut, on June 19th,
1999. They now reside in Farmington, Connecticut.
Thomas, who as a young child was just as
lively as his father was at this age, is now in his fourth year at Babson College, which is a business school in Boston.
At this time - in 1998 - Relly and I will have been married
for 56 years in perfect harmony. The early years, before we moved from Newark to Brooklyn,
had been very hard on Relly with 2 young children to bring up and me working very long
hours, at the same time being very poor. Also, Relly had to take care of her parents who
had become quite helpless by the time they got old.
