Bea Wherlin, Mel Coburn, (sitting) Sid Wherlin. Photo circa 1963

Melvin Coburn had a Doctorate in Jurisprudence. The LLB, which stands for Law and Literature, had much meaning for him. He had a love of words and people. We can know the seers of the past, visit far-off places and discover endless pleasure from reading, yet really getting to know people gives one the greatest pleasure of all.

I have known Mel for over 65 years. He was an orphan and lived with his brother Aaron and his sister-in-law Rose. During his college years, when Rose was sick, he lived at my house and felt that my mother treated him as her own son. Mel graduated from High School Summa Cum Laude and was the class valedictorian. He loved singing, and could often be heard singing a song. He loved to dance and could dance up a storm in his youth. But most of all he loved people.

Like many of us during the depression years, Mel was quite poor — but that did not diminish his joy of life. During our college years he drove a panel truck delivering pastry to stores starting at 3:00am, and in the evening would drive my cousin, the late Nate Gopen, Sydney Mazer and me in his panel truck to law school. Before graduating from college he started teaching at the Chelsea Public Schools. Summer was no vacation for Mel. He directed summer camps at Tall Timber, New York and other camps for many decades, so that his children would have the luxury of attending camp.

As a child Mel had rheumatic fever that left him with a weak heart. That he lived to see his grandchildren (in whom he took the greatest pleasure) is directly due to his devoted wife Sylvia who was there for him in every endeavor of his life. Her love and support was no doubt responsible for extending his life as long as it did.

During his school teaching years, in order to supplement his income — no job was too menial — he worked in a Bar room where he picked up the Russian language. With the influx of Spanish speaking students, he became proficient in Spanish. When Mel’s brother Aaron, then CEO of the Chelsea Credit Union, offered Mel a better paying job than teaching school, Mel said “the children need me.” He took great pride when some of his students became doctors, lawyers, politicians, and later taught the children of these former students.

His yearning for the respect of his heritage manifested itself by his putting on tefillin (phylacteries) every day of his adult life and saying the prayers. Although as a child he never spoke Yiddish, for the last decade he conducted Yiddish speaking courses in Florida.

The greatest lesson that Melvin taught me is to really get to know people. Not to know them superficially, but their dreams, hopes and aspirations.

Mel celebrated his life by enriching the lives of everyone he met.