Henry Michael Fein

Henry Michael Fein, 85, formerly of Portland, Connecticut and West Palm Beach, passed away on April 6 in Palm Coast, Florida. Henry was born on November 21, 1939, the youngest child of Stanley and Mollie Fein in Brooklyn, New York. Always a staunch New Yorker at heart, Henry had deep love for all things Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn and the delis where he delighted in Jewish comfort food of matzo ball soup and Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray soda.

Growing up on the streets of Brooklyn playing stickball, Henry relished summers escaping the scorching New York City streets to be a camp counselor at Jewish summer camps in Connecticut, including Camp Laurelwood and Camp Mar-Lin. Henry graduated from the infamous Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and City College of New York, and was a veteran in the U.S. Army reserves.

His career began with teaching history but ultimately his knack for conversing with anyone and problem-solving blossomed at Bernie Field Jewelers, the family jewelry business where he spent his career after he married Harriet Fields (Deeton). As a community jeweler on Main Street in Middletown, he appreciated the generations of loyal customers – who for decades, trusted Henry with their fine jewelry and Rolex watches.

Henry found comradery in Connecticut by joining the Portland Exchange Club, where he endured endless rounds of golf with longtime friends Mark, Larry, Gene and Bernie, and proudly landed himself in the “B Flight” of second-rate golfers. Henry worked on his golf game tirelessly at the Portland Golf Course, and enjoyed working the grill each year at the Portland Fair. While in Florida, Henry took to friendly poker game nights with his West Palm Beach neighbors, and to off-Broadway shows while living independently at Century Village.

Henry took pride on family vacations by introducing his children to the sweet lobsters and beaches of Ogunquit, Maine, and the ski slopes of Woodstock, Vermont. He had a passion for the gourmet food of O’Rourkes Diner, the apple pies from Lyman Orchards, birding at Hammonasset Beach, classical opera music of Gilbert and Sullivan, a good vanilla malt milkshake (“why mess with perfection?”) and without saying, all-things-New York. Henry was also an active participant of Congregation Adath Israel in Middletown where he taught Sunday school.

Henry is survived by his beloved children, Larry Fein (Tammy) of Palm Coast, Florida and Charlene Teale (Charlie) of Glastonbury, Connecticut and five grandsons, Ben, Ethan, Zachary, Lucas and Eli; along with ex-spouses Harriet Fein-Deeton and Doreen Collins; and countless cousins, nieces and nephews throughout the US, France and Israel. Henry is predeceased by parents Stanley and Mollie Fein, along with older sisters Muriel (Arnold) Goodman and Charlotte (Joe) Cincotta.

There will be no burial or calling hours. Memorial contributions in Henry’s memory may be made to the Exchange Club of Portland Connecticut or the Loggerhead Marinelife Center.