Al Rosenbaum celebrates as he gets off a plane in 1995 after helping to successfully defend area military bases from being closed during BRAC hearings. Rosenbaum, known for his intense fight to promote and protect East Mississippi's military institutions and his passionate philanthropic efforts, died this past weekend at age 92. He will be remembered in a special memorial service on Friday at 3 p.m. at the MSU Riley Center.

    Former Meridian mayor, I.A. “Al” Rosenbaum, died quietly of natural causes at his home at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday signaling the dignified passing of an icon in Meridian, Lauderdale County, and East Mississippi.

    Rosenbaum was 92.

    A list all of the accomplishments Rosenbaum has achieved and been an integral part of in his long and illustrious life would be a substantial one. Suffice it to say, East Mississippi, and specifically, Meridian and Lauderdale County owe a great deal to Rosenbaum who credited his intense drive to improve the quality of life in his hometown to his father, I.A. Rosenbaum.

    “My dad, and the fact we are Jewish, has a lot to do with that,” Rosenbaum said in one of the last interviews he granted late last year. “It is a Jewish tradition to become involved in the community. My dad, I.A. Rosenbaum, was that way and I learned that from him.”

    To those who knew him, Rosenbaum was a man to be reckoned with, especially when it came to driving forward to bring business and industry to the area. Rosenbaum’s close friend and ally in many of the dealings concerning military bases in Meridian, Lamar McDonald, said Rosenbaum was one of the most intelligent, energetic people he had ever known. McDonald said Rosenbaum’s drive to improve Meridian and spark growth in the area was contagious.

    “He was the kind of man you don’t throw down the gauntlet and challenge him because he will prove you wrong. He will succeed,” said McDonald recently. “He was in on the BRAC closings for four years and he was instrumental in our being successful in those talks leading up to the hearings.”

    Born in Meridian on March 21, 1920, Rosenbaum was educated in the local school system before heading to Vanderbilt University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree.

    Rosenbaum received five battle stars and a Presidential Citation for his service in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1942 to 1946 piloting F4U Corsairs and in the Active Reserve until retirement in 1961.

    Rosenbaum served as mayor from 1977 to 1985, was an original founder of Meyer and Rosenbaum Insurance, and has served with a large number of charities and community organizations, from the United Way to the Mississippi Industrial Foundation.

    But according to Rosenbaum, as proud he was of so many of his services and projects in and around Meridian, it was the birth of NAS Meridian, where he has a street named after him, that he considered his crowning achievement.

    “The navy base,” Rosenbaum said emphatically in his last interview. “That is maybe the biggest accomplishment I’ve been associated with in my life. There were others I’m proud of but that one really was a turning point.”

    NAS Meridian has become an “aviator factory” for the Navy and Marine Corps. It was a hard fight to convince the Navy brass Meridian was the right place for a base, afterall, there was nothing there but pine trees.

    Rosenbaum, U.S. Sen. John C. Stennis and a fleet of other influential community, state and national leaders banded together to put the proposal together and formulate their argument on why Meridian was the right place for a Navy base. There were issues with capacity of the base, the infrastructure, the available airspace that could be used for flight training, the workforce potential to sustain the base, and many other points of interest. Then they had to convince the decision makers Meridian was a city that would support such a base.

    On July 16, 1957, the first shovel of earth was thrown, marking the beginning of the Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS), which was commissioned July 14, 1961.

    During his time as mayor, Rosenbaum teamed with the undisputed champion of Mississippi military services, G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery. During those years the National Guard Complex was expanded at Key Field and the military presence in East Mississippi was solidified.

    Rosenbaum has won many awards in his lifetime, including the Sertoma Service to Humanity Award, the Lauderdale County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award, and the J.H. Johnson Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to the Insurance Profession.

    Along with his jobs as mayor of Meridian, founder of Meyer and Rosenbaum insurance, and in military service, Rosenbaum has been the vice president, treasurer, and CFO of Riley Development Systems, the president, treasurer and CFO of the Riley Foundation, and the director of First United Bank.

    The list of organizations he has served is long, and includes Congregation Beth Israel in Meridian, the Girl Scouts, the United Way, local and state Navy Leagues, the Lauren Rodgers Museum, and the state and national associations of insurance agents.

    Rosenbaum served on the board of directors of the Riley Foundation at the time of his death.

    “Al Rosenbaum was a community treasure,” said Meyer and Rosenbaum President Bruce Martin at the time of Rosenbaum’s 90th birthday. “He has worked tirelessly his entire lifetime for the betterment of his community and his state. There is no better example of selfless community involvement than Al.”

    Most recently, Rosenbaum was presented the Medal of Service award last year by then Gov. Haley Barbour. The Medal of Service award is presented annually to Mississippians who throughout their lives have made significant contributions to improving their state. Barbour has said these individuals have devoted countless hours and enormous amounts of their time, talents and energy to making Mississippi a better place to live.

    “Alfred has given a great deal of himself and his resources for the betterment of Meridian and East Mississippi,” Martin said.

    Upon hearing of Rosenbaum’s passing, residents of Meridian and Lauderdale County wasted no time in sending the family their condolences and remembering the man who has given so much of himself to the area.

     “I really liked Mr. Rosenbaum,” said Sabrina Lynn Minchew Jordan. “I would wait on him when he came to Weidmann’s at lunch. He was so sweet to everyone. Rest in peace.”

    Dennis Alan Snider recalled how Rosenbaum led Meridian while in the mayor’s office.

    “He saw Meridian through some rough patches,” said Snider “Praying for his family.”

    Stephanie Sodders said, “This is so sad. This man did so much for Meridian. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. May a very sweet legend rest in peace.”