Grandmother, attorney, teacher, performer

Carol B. Tanenbaum, a 50-year Claremont resident, attorney, teacher, and performer, died  unexpectedly March 13 in her apartment with her husband Sam at her side. “She lived a dynamic and fulfilling life surrounded by people she loved and who loved her deeply,” her family shared.

“As an only child growing up she pulled everyone into her sphere as an adult,” her family said. “She was the person who approached total strangers in restaurants, airports, schools, etc. and would engage them in conversations working hard to find community, be it through shared passions, backgrounds, music, history, languages, travels, work, etc.  She was open to everyone regardless of race, class, age, or religion.”

A child of hardworking parents fleeing the persecution of Jews in Europe, Carol moved from Switzerland at age 3 and grew up in New York City, being shuttled between parents and grandparents during the Depression. She excelled in her early years in radio and theater. As a student at Brown University she met Sam, with whom she shared a loving life for more than 70 years. “Together they worked for a better world including founding an NAACP chapter, both becoming educators at a range of institutions, embracing both music and the arts, recognizing the power of folk music as a tool for social justice and change, developing a love of modern design, and appreciating the natural beauty of the world,” her family added.

The couple lived in New Haven Connecticut, Waltham Massachusetts, and Cleveland Heights, Ohio, before settling in Claremont. They raised three children who were always supported and loved. A petite woman who always advocated bringing a sweater, she loved warm weather and beaches. This inspired the family to spend a year in Puerto Rico.

As both a primary school and special education teacher she loved the classroom, and throughout her life maintained active engagement with primary school teachers, visiting classes with her guitar or banjo and teaching with the power of music and song. She enjoyed a variety of crafts, including sewing, knitting, crochet, painting, and leaded glass.

She had long been interested in law school, and after many years of teaching and with her youngest child entering first grade she started law school at Case Western Reserve. She stood out as a mother of three children who was 15-20 years older than her classmates. She worked at a law firm in Cleveland while in school, but in part due to her enthusiasm for warm beach weather, encouraged her husband to take a position at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont. She had to prepare for the California Bar exam, which she passed on the first try at a time when the pass rate was quite low.

She then began working for the firm Stafford, Buxbaum, and Chakmak, then set up her own firm, and eventually joined Allard, Shelton, and O’Connor, where she became a partner. Later she transitioned from doing primarily family law work to becoming a municipal lawyer, becoming deputy city attorney for both Claremont and La Verne, and later city attorney for Placentia. She also served as president of the Eastern Bar Association of LA County.

In 2005, after 30 years she retired from the legal profession, but continued her work in music and service, which included serving on boards for House of Ruth, Habitat for Humanity, and the Jewish Federation. She also began to audit Claremont Colleges courses almost every semester, interacting with college students in topics from history, politics, math, computer science, music, and more for another decade.

“Carol was in her element at the open mic hosted by the Folk Music Center, where she was a regular for many years with a wide variety of guests joining in,” her family said. “Carol and Sam created the Mt. San Antonio Gardens Variety Jam, which they hosted twice a month for almost ten years, sharing a love of life through music with residents.”

She is lovingly remembered by her husband Sam; children Laurie, Stephen, and David (and their partners, Ken, Margo, and Judith); and grandchildren Julia, Eli, Robin, and Arlo.

A celebration of her life will be held in at Mt. San Antonio Gardens Assembly Room at 2 p.m. Friday, April 18.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the House of Ruth at houseofruthinc.org.