In Memoriam

Joel W. H. Kleinberg

Obituary

by his wife Laurie

November 5, 2019

Joel W. H. Kleinberg was born in Madison, WI, on April 8, 1943, to Maurice and Zoe Kleinberg.  He died in Pasadena, CA, on July 14, 2019.  He is survived by his brother David.

Joel prepared for Yale at Montgomery Blair High School in Maryland and matriculated with the class of 1964 at Yale University. He lived in Calhoun College. Joel held the Gerald Robert Steinberg Memorial Scholarship.

He went on to attend Yale Law School, class of 1967, and loved the seven years he spent in New Haven.

Joel met his wife Laurie (MAT ’67 at Yale) and they were married for 51 years. They had two children: a daughter, Leslie, and a son, Seth. Leslie remembers her dad’s kindness, sensitivity, and his encouragement of her art and writing. Her favorite memories include many visits to museums together and a special ten-day trip across the country on back roads and through many small towns. Seth said, “Dad was my hero; he taught me so many life lessons: patience, perseverance, and forgiveness. He always had the perfect anecdote or story to share.”

After Yale Law School, Joel became a plaintiff’s personal injury lawyer as a sole practitioner in Los Angeles where he practiced for 40 years, specializing in medical malpractice and products liability. He also taught Torts at La Verne College of Law in the early 1980s and many Continuing Education for the Bar courses. He was active for many years in in the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the State Bar of California, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America where he served as President of the Civil Justice Foundation and as a member of the Board of Governors.

Joel stayed very active as a Yale alumnus. He was President of the Yale Club of Southern California in the early 1970s and was a dedicated Class Agent for the Yale Alumni Fund until his death.

Joel took up the hobby of collecting hand-blown glass. He donated one vase to Yale, and it is on display at the Yale Art Gallery.

Friends wrote about Joel on their condolence messages: “He had a zest for life and a dry wit;” “Joel had a winning smile, but he could also be mischievous;” “He was funny, smart, and kind and made his mark on many, including victims that he represented (especially burn victims);” “Joel had a great legal mind; he was fair, kind, generous, and jovial;” “Joel was a terrific speaker and could have done voice-over commercials.”

Joel loved to travel. His favorite trips with Laurie were to: Cape Cod, Idaho, Stanford Sierra Camp on Fallen Leaf Lake, and visits to San Francisco to visit Leslie and her partner Bea Mallek. His love of adventure took him to far-flung locales such as Fiji, Bora Bora, and the Greek Isles. In the last few years, slowed down by Parkinson’s and other health problems, he enjoyed the beauty of nature with family and friends on his screened porch in Pasadena.

Joel included a poem in his 50th Reunion Class Book essay, with a poignant final line: “Celebrating anew that mysterious gift, Life.”