Investor, community leader Robert Wolf laid to rest at Metairie Cemetery

ROBERT R. WOLF, and investor  died peacefully at home on October 7, 2024. He was 99.

ROBERT R. WOLF

A native of New York City, he grew up in Larchmont and New Rochelle, NY. A proud World War II veteran, Bob served in the U.S. Army 86th Infantry Division from 1943 until 1946, and saw action in Germany and Austria during the last months of the war in Europe. After V-E Day, his unit was sent to Camp Gruber, OK, to receive additional training for the invasion of Japan, and he was there when the war ended. Orders to go to the Pacific having already been issued to his unit, he served for an additional six months in the Philippines, where he attended the War Crimes Trials in Manila.

Wof returned home to complete his studies at Yale University in New Haven, CT. and then moved to New Orleans in 1951, where he worked for J. Aron & Co., Supreme Sugar Co., and Kohlmeyer & Co. In 1974, he and his family moved to Washington, DC, where he worked at the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Overseas Private Investment Corp. before the family returned to New Orleans in 1984.

A committed member of the New Orleans Jewish Committee, he served as a board member of the Jewish Endowment Fund and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. He was chairman of the Federation’s first Committee on Jewish Education. He also served on the board of directors and as President of Temple Sinai from 1973-1974.

Wolf was a lifelong and avid reader of biography and history, particularly histories of World War II. Extremely proud of his Jewish heritage, he completed extensive genealogical research into the Wolf family history in Germany and in his father’s native country of Holland. Having learned to speak German as a child from his mother and grandmother, he was able to put that knowledge to use during his army service, as a German translator. Beginning in 2002 Bob devoted his time to the National World War II Museum, where he volunteered in many capacities, including as a translator of German documents and manuscripts from the war. He was alo proud to be featured in the museum’s recently opened “Voices from the Front” exhibit.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Marie Kohlmeyer Wolf, his sons David, John (Nanette) and James (Nancy) and his two beloved granddaughters.

A funeral service was conducted at Temple Sinai by Rabbi Daniel Sherman and Cantor Rebecca Garfein on Thursday, October 10, at 11:00 am.  Interment that followed immediately in Metairie Cemetery was  private. Memorial contributions may be made to the National World War II Museum or Temple Sinai, New Orleans.