Well-known Huntsville community leader Jerome Allen Averbuch, 81, died October 16th peacefully at his home. He was the founder and President of Averbuch Enterprises.
A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Jerry was born in Nashville, TN to Juliet and Sidney Averbuch. His achievements began in Nashville while attending West High School. A graduate of the class of 1956, Jerry was President of the Honor Society and the Campus Club and Vice President of the Senior Class. While President of the Key Club, Jerry proudly served as Lieutenant Governor of the Kentucky/Tennessee Key Club International.
Serving West High School with enthusiasm as Captain of the Tennis team for four years, Jerry won numerous tennis championships. He was the Nashville Interscholastic High School Champion in 1955 and 1956 and the Tennessee State Champion in 1956. He held the title of the City of Nashville Doubles Champion from ages 12 thru 17. He was recently inducted into the West High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Jerry graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta in 1960 with a B.S. degree. While attending Georgia Tech, Jerry played on the Tennis Team for four years including the 1959 Southeastern Conference championship team. He was President of Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity.
When Jerry ventured to Huntsville from Nashville in 1962, he became a visionary, striving to help develop the city. He built hundreds of homes in Huntsville and developed Country Club and Malibu Apartments. Truly gifted and innovative, Jerry developed Plantation South, the first residential condominiums in Huntsville, as well as Park Plaza Offices, the first office condominiums in the state of Alabama. He developed Main Street South Shopping Village which was the first shopping center condominiums in Alabama. He also developed the Radisson Suites Hotel, Office Park South Office Building and Civic Plaza Office Building, and Four Season Apartments in Birmingham. In later years, Jerry, along with his son Gregory Averbuch, developed hotels in Atlanta, Memphis, and Nashville.
His leadership ability serving as a mentor to many was valued in the city. He was President of the Huntsville Home Builders Association and was honored by being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was President of the Huntsville Museum of Art, the Better Business Bureau of North Alabama, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and a founding board member of the Heritage Club. He was President of Park Plaza Condo Association for over 40 years and President of the Huntsville Racquet Club when he won the Club Singles and Doubles Championship. He also won the Huntsville City Singles and Doubles Tennis Championships.
He was a member of Temple B’nai Sholom where he served as President. He was President of the Jewish Community Council of Huntsville and North Alabama, and a founder of the Israeli Tennis Center in Ramat Hasharon, Israel. He was also a member of Temple Ohabai Sholom in Nashville, as well as Temple Israel and Baron Hirsch Synagogue in Memphis.
His joy was his residence in Destin, FL, where he spent his time working, playing tennis, golfing, fishing, and walking on the beach.
His loving legacy will live on among everyone who knew him, especially his surviving family, his beloved wife, Arlene; his extraordinary children, Scott (Dana), Gregory (Dana), Jennifer Averbuch Ronnel (Steve), Lynn Ghertner (Scott), and Jan Brackett (Jim); his outstanding sister, Shirley Averbuch Zeitlin; his endearing brother, Larry Averbuch; and 15 loving and wonderful grandchildren.
Services will be held Friday, October 18th at 12:00 noon at Temple B’nai Sholom, 103 Lincoln Street, followed by the burial at Maple Hill Cemetery. (www.laughlinservice.com)
The family requests that memorials be sent to Temple B’nai Sholom or to a charity of your choice.
