In Memoriam: Albert Greenberg, Class of 1948
Albert Greenberg, a 1948 graduate of the School of Art, passed away on July 5. He and his wife, the late Marilyn Hoffner, were two of Cooper's most devoted alumni, with Marilyn acting as the school's Director of Alumni Relations and Development, and starting in 1997, the Executive Director for Institutional Advancement, while Albert led the Cooper Union Alumni Association, served as an alumni trustee, chaired the CUAA Nominating Committee, and was a member of the Augustus Saint-Gaudens Committee.
A native New Yorker, Albert Greenberg grew up in a musical family, the son of Mary Miller and Samuel Greenberg, a well-dressed haberdasher. As he boy he adored the Dodgers and illustrated games as he'd listen to them on the radio. After attending The Cooper Union for one semester, Al joined the Air Corps and flew 35 missions over Germany as a bombardier on a B-17. He kept a detailed record of his experiences—from the terrifying to the mundane. (Breakfast on mission days included fresh eggs, powdered eggs on days when you weren't in combat.)
He returned to study art at Cooper where he met Marilyn, his wife of almost 60 years. He had a storied career as a graphic designer and was founding Art Director of GQ magazine where he spared no trouble or expense to create arresting images—from Masai warriors dressed in tuxedo jackets to Cuban revolutionaries in Burberry raincoats. After 13 years, he joined the advertising firm of Wells Rich Greene where his clients included the New York State Lottery and the "I Love New York" campaign. After nine years in advertising, he became the Director of Graphic Design at the Parsons School of Design. Mr. Greenberg led a two-year series called “Design Talk” at The Cooper Union where he interviewed the great art directors of the time.
Mr. Greenberg was awarded the 2006 CUAA Augustus Saint-Gaudens Medal, and received copious honors from the Type Directors Club, AIGA, Graphis, and the Society of Illustrators as well as the gold medal and distinctive merit awards from the Art Directors Club of New York. He was inducted into The Cooper Union Hall of Fame in 2009.
He is survived by his daughter Doren Helterline and his son Peter Cooper Greenberg, as well as three grandchildren, Travis, Caitlin, and Mirella.
Albert Greenberg, 1948 graduate of the School of Art
Marilyn and Albert at the carriage house the renovated in New Hyde Park, NY
Marilyn and Albert in an early shot of the couple who were married for 61 years
Two segments from Al Greeberg’s combat diary of the 35 missions over Germany he chronicled between September 1944 and March 1945 He was bombardier of Miss-Giving in the 96th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force in England
Albert was 18 and taking night classes at The Cooper Union when he enlisted as an aviation cadet
Albert Greenberg when stationed in England as an Air Corps bombardier
A Cooper couple circa 1948
Marilyn and Albert at Green Camp
Marilyn and Albert on their wedding day in 1949
Channeling Swingin' London in a GQ spread by Albert Greenberg
Photo montage by Albert Greenberg
A fashion shoot in Brasilia
Marilyn and Albert in Atlantic City with their children Doren Greenberg and Peter Cooper Greenberg in Atlantic City, NJ
A GQ spread on Spanish cuisine for the bachelor cook
Al loved to use words as design elements in his work
Founders Day 1972 when Albert Greenberg was president of the CUAA
Pictured Albert Greenberg with Ray Graves at a reunion in 2005 in Dyersburg, TN wearing their original A-2 jackets