March 19, 2010

Marquette community mourns the passing of alumnus Joseph Zilber

Funeral arrangements set for March 23

Services for Joseph Zilber will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 23, in the Monaghan Ballroom at Marquette's Alumni Memorial Union. Parking is available in Marquette's Parking Structure 1, located between Wells and Wisconsin Ave. on 16th Street. Valet parking will also be available on the east side of the AMU, near 14th and Wells.
 
Interment will follow at Second Home Cemetery, 3705 S. 43rd St. The family suggests contributions to the endowment fund of the Zilber Family Hospice, care of Aurora Visiting Nurse Association.


"Joe Zilber made an immeasurable difference in the lives of Milwaukee’s citizens, and demonstrated again and again, in words and in deeds, his steadfast commitment to the welfare of this community. We at Marquette are proud to call him an alumnus, and remain ever grateful for his generous support of his alma mater, particularly through the Marquette University Law School and the Zilber Scholars," said President Robert A. Wild, S.J. "On behalf of the Marquette community, I offer my prayers and deepest sympathy to the family and many, many friends of Joe Zilber. We will all mourn his passing even as we celebrate the remarkable gift of his life."

Joseph J. Zilber graduated from Marquette University with a degree in business administration in 1939 and law in 1941. He met his wife, Vera Feldman, at Marquette. Together, they established the Zilber Scholars program at the Marquette University Law School in 1984. In 2007, Mr. Zilber announced an extraordinary gift of $30 million for the Law School, including $5 million to help build Eckstein Hall and $25 million to expand student scholarships. "Access to a Marquette education changes lives, not only for the students themselves, but for their children and their children’s children,"  he said. "I believe in investing in people."

In recognition of the Mr. Zilber’s remarkable generosity, Marquette named its new student services and administration building, which opened in 2010, Joseph and Vera Zilber Hall. The forum in the the Marquette University Law School, Eckstein Hall (opening September 2010) will also be named in their honor. In 2009, Marquette recognized Mr. Zilber’s tremendous dedication to Marquette and to the community with the Marquette Alumnus of the Year award.

A video tribute to Mr. Zilber as Marquette’s 2009 Alumnus of the Year and his acceptance of the award follows.