General Information

Full Name:  Joel Aronowitz
Date of Death:  Saturday, June 29, 2019

Joel Aronowitz of Pebble Beach, CA passed away peacefully on June 29, 2019 after a brief illness. He was born on November 12, 1939 in Passaic, NJ to Samuel and Marion Aronowitz née Glaser and graduated from Clifton High School, where he was a proud member of the Mustang Marching Band and the AV Club.  Later, he served in the NJ Army National Guard.

Joel had an insatiable curiosity his entire life. He pursued his passion for radio and the nascent medium of television by landing a job as a page for CBS in the late 1950’s. As the TV industry flourished over the next several decades, so too did his career.  He remained at CBS for the next 40+ years, serving as an Associate Director and Director of the daytime dramas Edge of Night and As the World Turns, as well as on productions of CBS Sports. He participated in the television coverage of the moon landing in 1969. One of Joel’s professional loves was directing the television coverage of Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day parades, including the CBS All-American Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Cotton Bowl Parade in Dallas, TX, and the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA.  He earned two Emmy Awards as a member of the directing teams of As the World Turns and CBS NFL Today.

Joel married Linda Aronowitz née Greenstein in 1964; they settled in Paramus, NJ where they raised their daughters Susanne and Pamela.  He was an engaged and loving father, and he took great pride in their personal and professional success (Susanne as a lawyer and career coach and Pamela as a pilot for JetBlue). He and Linda were long-time members of Temple Sholom in River Edge, NJ and had a loving community of family and friends.

After Linda’s death in 2001, Joel re-connected with Susan Orlikoff Simon, a former colleague and Directors Guild of America “union brother.”  After Joel and Susan married in New York in 2003 he joined her in California, residing first in Sherman Oaks before ultimately settling into their dream home in Pebble Beach where they lived with their adopted shelter dogs Percy and Floozie.  

Joel always had a twinkle in his eye and a disarming sense of humor.  He made friends everywhere he went and was generous with his love and attention. His later years brought new relationships; in addition to his marriage to Susan, he became “Poppy” to grandsons Leo and Benjamin and “Uncle Joely” to many nieces and nephews. 

After retiring from CBS, Joel committed his time and resources to helping others.  He was a graduate of the Wagner Program at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and served as a literacy volunteer with Monterey County Free Libraries. 

Joel is survived by his wife Susan Orlikoff Simon, daughters Susanne Aronowitz (Robert Schulhof) and Pamela Aronowitz (Daniel O’Neill), grandsons Leo and Benjamin Schulhof, and a community of loving friends and family that stretches from coast to coast.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Peace of Mind Dog Rescue in Pacific Grove, CA, to your local Public Broadcasting Service station, or to KQED in San Francisco, CA.