Obituary: Sanford Milter

Sanford Milter, 93, of Sarasota died April 7.

Born in Russia in 1919, Mr. Milter moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1923. He studied at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, from 1937 to 1939, before joining Milter Trading Company, his father’s wholesale chenille products company, before joining the Army. He served in the 25th Infantry division in the South Pacific from 1942 to 1946.

Mr. Milter worked for Color Mail, Inc., an advertising company, from 1950 to 1974, when he retired as the company’s president.

Mr. Milter moved to Sarasota in the mid 1980s, where he served as a philanthropist for more than 25 years. He served as a board member on numerous organizations, including the American Jewish Committee, the Florida Holocaust Museum, the Jewish Housing Council, the Jewish National Fund, the Jewish Family & Children’s Services, the Museum of Asian Art, the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation and Temple Beth Israel.

The American Jewish Committee honored him with its Legacy of Leadership Award in 2010.

Mr. Milter was preceded in death by his wives, Ronnie and Sylvia. He is survived by his longtime companion, Helen Sherman; his children, Steve, Barbara and Susi Rothenberg; stepchildren, Bruce Epstein and Ellen Yasmer; four grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and eight step-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, April 11 at Toale Brothers Funeral Home on Orange Avenue. Memorial donations may be made to the Jewish Housing Council Foundation, 1951 N. Honore Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34235.