Jay M. Tischenkel's Obituary
Jay M. Tischenkel of Pembroke Pines, Florida, passed away peacefully at age
93 after a brief illness. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Sheila, his
parents Jack and Martha, his cherished brother Norman, and his dog Sofie. He is
survived by his children Susan (James), John, and Carolyn.
Jay was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from The Horace Mann
School and Columbia University’s College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He served
in the United States Army during the Korean War.
From their father’s drugstore in the Astor Hotel on Broadway in New York City, Jay
and Norman developed a chain of drug and sundry stores in airports and hotels,
which later became the Continental Drug Corporation, with Jay as its President.
Beginning with stores in New York and South Florida, it then expanded into
locations around the United States and the Caribbean. Company headquarters
relocated to Miami in 1967. Jay took special pleasure in overseeing the store in
Nassau, Bahamas, taking weekly trips over the years. He thought of Nassau as a
home away from home.
Jay was a devoted husband and father. He was a charitable man and he deeply
loved animals. He was the president of his synagogue, Temple Beth Moshe, from
1978 to 1980. He had many, many friends and treated everyone with the same
care. Jay always met life with a sense of humor.
Jay was a lover of great restaurants and fine wine, especially the wines of Bordeaux,
which he collected. He was active in the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
and served as the president of the Florida Restaurant Association. He shared his
passion for food and wine, writing columns that were featured in magazines,
along with regular appearances on local radio stations. He also taught creative
writing at Barry University in the 1980s.
After Jay and Norman sold their business, Jay was instrumental in creating
Southeastern University’s College of Pharmacy. Southeastern then merged with
Nova University and became Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in 1994. Jay
became the Director of Institutional Advancement at NSU’s Health Professions
Division, which today is a leader in its field. He was also a member of NSU’s
Board of Trustees. He worked at NSU until he retired at the age of 88.
Jay’s favorite work of literature was William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Beginning in
high school, he read and saw the play countless times. He could recite it flawlessly
by heart. During his final days, one of his caregivers read “Hamlet” to him at his
bedside. The family wishes to thank all of Jay’s caregivers, including Shakespeare.
What’s your fondest memory of Jay?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jay?
Share a story where Jay's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jay you’ll never forget.
How did Jay make you smile?
