Gulf Shores honors centenarian Max Nomberg

STAFF REPORT
Posted 3/10/17

One Gulf Shores centenarian now holds the key to growing old and a key to the city.

During the last Gulf Shores City Council meeting, Mayor Robert Craft took time to read a proclamation in honor …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Subscribe to continue reading. Already a subscriber? Sign in

Get the gift of local news. All subscriptions 50% off for a limited time!

You can cancel anytime.
 

Please log in to continue

Log in

Gulf Shores honors centenarian Max Nomberg

Posted

One Gulf Shores centenarian now holds the key to growing old and a key to the city.

During the last Gulf Shores City Council meeting, Mayor Robert Craft took time to read a proclamation in honor of Gulf Shores resident Max Nomberg, who had turned 100 the day before.

Craft said it was a honor to be able to celebrate Nomberg’s special birthday on behalf of the city.

Nomberg was born in New York in 1917. His parents were Isadore and Mary Nomberg. He had one sister, Rose Cohen, and one brother, William Nomberg.

Nomberg served in the Army during World War II, stationed in Camp Gordon in Georgia before being reassigned to guard German prisoners of war in New York. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

His family, including his parents and siblings, moved from New York to Dothan in March 1948. Nomberg opened his own retail store in downtown Dothan, located on Main Street, called “The Friendly Store.”

He was a member of Temple Emanu-el and served on many committees. He was a member of the Dothan Country Club and played on the team members’ golf group after retirement. He is a World War II veteran.

He was married to Dorothy “Dottie” Bieber Nomberg for 71 years. They have two children, Joel M. Nomberg and Susan N. McCollough and son-in-law E. Gaylon McCollough. He has five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, seven nieces and two nephews.

He and his family were all members of Temple Emanu-El. He is the oldest living member of Temple Emanu-El and possibly the oldest in the history of the Temple.

They resided in Dothan for 59 years before moving to Gulf Shores in 2006. Nomberg continues to be a vibrant member of society and an inspiration to everyone. He participates in all family activities.

His family said he loves living in Gulf Shores, where he enjoyed the beach and playing golf. He also loves being around family and having his daily cigar with his morning coffee.

Nomberg thanked the city for recognizing his birthday.

The city also took time to recognize National Safe Boating Week.

“On average, 700 people die each year in boating-related accidents in the U.S. and nearly 70 percent of these are fatalities caused by drowning,” Gulf Shores Public Information Officer Grant Brown said. “The vast majority of these accidents are caused by human error or poor judgement and not by the boat, equipment or environmental factors. A significant number of boaters who lose their lives by drowning each year would be alive today had they worn life jackets.”

Commander Richard Geiger with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 36 thanked the council for the proclamation

“You never know when a storm is going to come up or a sudden jerk of your boat is going to knock you overboard,” Geiger said. “The awareness campaign is very critical to us.”

Geiger said statistics showed that 85 percent of those who drown don’t have lifejackets on. His organization provides boating safety skills, classes and complementary vessel safety checks year-round in the community.

Other business

The council also approved a public assembly permit application for the Robertsdale Rotary Club’s annual Hot Trot Run.

The council also gave assent to a change of location for the Seaside Package Store No. 2, which will move from 520 West Beach Blvd. to 500 West Beach Blvd.

City staff also informed the council they were working to try to secure a $172,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to help with the city’s recycling program.

The grant would be used to purchase new equipment, and the city would find out if it had been awarded one around September.

Taylor Norton, vice chair of the conservation and natural resources committee for the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, informed the council on a new plan inspired by the “Leave Only Footprints” initiative.

“We thought ‘What if we could take it to the waterways?’” Norton said. “It’s in it’s early stages, but it’s ‘Leave Only Wake.’”

Norton asked the city if they might be interested in putting up signs and trash receptacles at the city’s boat ramps. He added the group was looking for state grants for the receptacles.

“if you can do anything that’s close to as effective as ‘Leave Only Footprints,’ we would be absolutely interested,” Craft said.