Yarmon, Morton 1916–2005

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born March 8, 1916, in New York, NY; died of complications following a stroke, August 3, 2005, in New York, NY. Journalist, public relations executive, philanthropist, and author. Yarmon was a former newspaper editor and public relations manager who in later life was a major benefactor to Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Graduating from what is now the City College of the City University of New York when he was eighteen, he received a B.S. in journalism in 1935. While serving in the U.S. Army in Paris as a captain, he published his first book, the coauthored How to Get a Defense Job (1941), which was quickly followed by Opportunities in the Armed Forces (1942). After working briefly for the New York Herald Tribune, Yarmon joined the staff at the New York Times as a foreign editor assistant until 1956. He next became involved in public relations as a director of creative services for the firm Ruder & Finn, and for four years was associate managing editor for Parade magazine. With this experience behind him, he was hired as director of public education and information for the American Jewish Committee in 1962, and remained there until his retirement in 1991. After retiring, Yarmon and his wife began donating to Beth Israel. Having invested wisely over the years (he was the author of 1961's Invest Smartly), the Yarmons had become millionaires, and they eventually donated over five million dollars to the hospital. Yarmon was also the author of such books as Early American Antique Furniture (1952) and Opportunities in Civil Service (1957).

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New York Times, August 6, 2005, p. B14.