Bertram S. Warshaw

Bertram S. Warshaw Highlights of your remarkable life Time ensures children never knew their parents young what a Shame! You were born to immigrant Austrian and Russian parents, Anna and David, in Brooklyn, New York, in 1928. You came into a family of 3 older siblings-Roz/9, Myron/14, and Mel/15. You grew up to love math, tennis, computers, chocolate, God & Country, Rush Limbaugh, Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, and Miami Dolphins. Mrs. Saltzman’s 4th grade you won the math award. You never forgot her. Little did she know 23 years later you would become the President/Principal of the largest Engineering firm in the Southeastern United States, employing hundreds, keeping mankind safe, with projects extending beyond our shores…Nigeria, India, Puerto Rico, Panama, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Ascension Islands, to name a few. A1A in South Florida could have been named Warshaw Boulevard. December 7, 1941. America is at WAR. You were entering Miami Beach High. Along with spies, submarines, blackouts, and rationing….there were tennis tournaments, including matches with Poncho Segura, who was ranked # 3 in the country at the time, on the clay on Miami Beach. WWII ends. So does life at Miami Beach High. You were accepted at Georgia Tech. Lots of stories….playing your best match with a 103 fever against Vandy; Phil Emmer taking a $1 bet, running/streaking butt naked across North Avenue. You were the first Freshman to play/start on the Tech Varsity tennis team. You were also honored with an invitation to represent your country on the Jr. Davis Cup Team. When you came home on a Christmas break from Tech, you and tennis partner, Lowery Bell, entered the Miami Christmas Tennis Tournament for I8’s and under. You Won! The tournament became known as the prestigious Jr. Orange Bowl Tournament. In 1949 you graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology. While in school you were active in the ROTC and continued serving your country in the Army Reserves. 1951 was a life changing year for you. Three weeks into a business trip, representing your father’s line of women’s apparel, your dad informed you of an arrival of an official looking letter-your orders to report to Ft. Wachuca, Arizona. Korea was in your future. However, there was also another piece of mail….a letter from Dupont inquiring if you’d be interested in an interview. Miracle of miracles….a telegram arrived rescinding your orders. You were headed to Georgia and the Savannah River Plant…..as one of the original 12 Engineers selected to begin work on the largest building project known to mankind at the time-240,000 acres of the top secret Hydrogen bomb. Again, unknow to you, you had been chosen as a participant in another top secret operation-the explosion of the H-bomb…but you were homesick and left Dupont for the unknown back in Miami. It was only years later at a luncheon with a client from New York, you learned of the nuclear test you were to participate in. After working with several Miami engineering firms, you decided to strike out on your own. In the process you built the world’s largest dinosaur in Wiki Wachee Springs, Florida, using a framing/applied concrete system you developed. You patented this design which became the Dome Houses….and Miami Herald front page news. Eventually, in the 70’s this system was used throughout India for temporary shelter for workers building railways across their country. You also designed your first hi-rise building, the Skyway Bridge Towers in St. Petersburg, using a slide rule! Your firm and reputation grew….with you becoming the youngest member on the Board of Rules & Appeals (the custodian of the South Building Code), acting as Chair for the next 23 years. Managua was leveled by an earthquake. You were asked to inspect the damages which eventually put you literally on top of a hill outside of town, surrounded by machine guns to thwart the communists from intervening in your signing a $600,000,000 contract to rebuild the city. Again, front page of the Miami Herald, you were the news of the day. With contract signed by all parties, Batista was waiting with open palms. Bert Warshaw, who everyone said would make a great judge-honest to the bone-was having no part. The Notice to Proceed never arrived. That same year, your beloved Dolphins went undefeated and 20 years later you would be sitting in Don Shula’s living room swapping stories! You played in your last tennis tournament which you didn’t even know you entered. Son Randy entered you into a pro/am mixed doubles tournament where you found yourself playing the final against Chris Everett. Of course, you won! The years go by with more accomplishments, recognitions, positions, and awards. When elected as the President of the Miami Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society, you were introduced as the Engineer’s Engineer….but, most importantly, you always remained humble and steadfast in your beliefs of doing your best, honesty, love of God and family and Country. We, who have known you, are blessed. Jesus came and took you home to your mansion on July 28, 2024….we will miss you until the day we join you in Glory. You are survived by your wife of 46 years, Patricia (Patty) Warshaw (nee Simpson); children, Julie Warshaw, Jonathan Warshaw; children from his former marriage, Andrew Warshaw (Susan), Randy Warshaw (Celine), Job Warshaw, Jolie Warshaw (Simon); grandchildren, Gabe, Miko, Cal, Ned, Lea, Jed, Zoe, Gemma, and Colton. A Memorial service will be held Friday, August 9, 2024 at 4 o’clock in the Chapel of Parrott Funeral Home with Rev. Chip Gordon officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at Parrott Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, we are asking donations be made to YWAM Orlando, PO Box 680647, Orlando, FL 32868 (Bert Warshaw Memorial; online, click Give & Warshaw) or CARE Ministries, Inc., PO Box 1830 Starkville, MS 29760.

Bertram S. Warshaw

March 15, 1928 - July 28, 2024