Emeritus, In Memoriam
Abraham M Friedman was born (1920) and raised in New London, Connecticut. He was the youngest of three children of Michael and Gussie Friedman, immigrants (1906) from Russia. He had two older sisters, Pauline and Adelaide, who were born in New York. Michael and Gussie Friedman were grocery store merchants in New London.
Abe Friedman received his B.S. degree from Springfield College. He married Ruth Shifreen, who also grew up in New London, and they settled in New London during the 1950s. Abe became Director of Happy Day Nursery School. Abe was also a dance instructor. They had two children, one son (Kenneth) and one daughter (Nancy).
Abe, Ruth, and children then moved to San Diego, California. Abe began teaching as a Lecturer in Physical Education in 1962 at San Diego State College. He also attended graduate school and received his M.A. in 1966. His thesis mentor was Dr. William Ross. Abe was then given an appointment as Assistant Professor and later promoted to the rank of Associate Professor.
Over his career at San Diego State, Abe taught courses in Teaching Methods, Folk Dance, and various other physical activity courses. He also taught in the Adult Fitness Program (1963-1980) and Physical Education in the Laboratory School (1963-1968). Abe retired in 1983 as Emeritus Associate Professor of Physical Education.
Abe lost his first wife Ruth, who passed away in 1977 at age 55. He married second wife Shirley Bank in 1979 in San Diego. They lived in La Jolla. Shirley died in 2005 at the age of 87. Until his death in 2016, at age 96, Abe enjoyed frequent lunch gatherings with former SDSU colleagues.
