Submitted by: Dan Rich

Harold Medow

Feb. 19, 1919 - Feb. 11, 2008

South Bend Tribune 2/12/2008

SOUTH BEND - Harold Medow, 88, of St. Louis, MO, formerly of South Bend, passed away at 1:30 a.m. Monday in St. Louis. He was born February 19, 1919, to Ben and Rose Medow in South Bend. He graduated from Riley High School in 1936 and Indiana University in 1940.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Genevieve Rymer Medow. They were married from 1940 to 1987. He was a local automobile dealer, selling Dodge, Dodge Trucks, Chrysler, Plymouth from 1940 to 1980. He worked with the family-owned dealerships: Ben Medow Inc., Modern Motors and Harold Medow Inc. He was past president of the South Bend-Mishawaka New Car Dealers Association. Mr. Medow achieved a degree of popularity in Michiana for his "That's Terrific! That's Harold Medow!" advertising campaign in the late 1970s. He was very active in the South Bend community from his youth. A few of the organizations he was active in were Boy Scouts, B'nai B'rith, Phi Sigma Epsilon, past president of Sinai Synagogue, and past president of the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley. In 1973 Mr. Medow played the role of Tevye in the Presbyterian Players production of "Fiddler on the Roof." With his wife, Genevieve, he wrote and directed several stage productions for Sinai Synagogue and AZA.

From 1970 to 1983, Mr. and Mrs. Medow lived in both South Bend and Miami Beach, Florida, and in 1983 they moved to Florida full time. Early in 2007, Mr. Medow moved to St. Louis. While living in Florida, he was active for a number of years on the board of the Arlen Beach Condominium Assn. Mr. Medow is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Don and Sherry Medow, and his brother, Larry Medow. He was pre-deceased by his sister and brother-in-law, Bette and Jordan Kapson. He is also survived by his children, Ronn and Theo Medow of Reno, NV, Bobby and Chelle Medow of St. Louis, MO, Deborah Anne Medow of Big Sur, CA, and Judi and Jamie Learned of Wonder Lake, IL; and his grandchildren, Rikki Medow, Sima and Michael Oberlander, Rivkah Medow and Kyle Metzner, Panina and Jacob Licht, David Medow, Rachel and Matt Hanson, Benjamin Medow, Jacob and Andrea Medow, Sarah and Mark Wetzstein, Sam and Shuli Medow, Tim and Tara Learned, Ethan Long, Peeps Medow and Therese Garcia, Joshua Long, Kristin Learned and Jason Bennett, and Genevieve Medow-Jenkins; and his great-grandchildren, Noah, Naomi, Eitan, Ilana, Hudi, Ayelet, Miriam, Laine, Nathaniel, Ryan, Isaac, Sydney, Mason, Zane, Delani and Lily. Papa Harold loved his family and he loved life. He will be in our thoughts and our hearts forever.

Funeral services will be at 3:00 p.m. today (Tuesday 2/12/08) in the McGann Hay, Forest G. Hay Funeral Home, 435 S. Ironwood Drive at Jefferson, with Rabbi Eric Siroka from Temple Beth-El officiating. Burial will follow at the Hebrew Orthodox Cemetery. Memorial donations in his honor may be made to Temple Beth-El or to Sinai Synagogue.