By CAROLINE FLAX
Former New York lawmaker and judge Stephen Gottlieb ’57 died Sunday, according to the Associated Press. Family members say Gottlieb — who was 77 — died of heart failure.
At Cornell, Gottlieb served as treasurer of the Student Council, according to a 1956 Sun article.
After he graduated, Gottlieb attended New York Law School and worked as a lawyer at the New York State Legislature. He was then elected to the N.Y. Assembly as a Democratic representative for Manhattan in 1968, the AP reported.
While working as a representative, Gottlieb — along with with former New York City Assemblymen Stephen Solarz and Charles Rangel — came back to the Hill Dec. 9, 1969 to hear from students on their opinions on campus unrest, abortion laws and drugs.
During that meeting, Gottlieb said he was supporting a bill brought forth by former Assemblywoman Constance Cook — who represented Ithaca — that would repeal state abortion laws.
“There are 30 legislators committed to sponsoring Assemblywoman Cook’s bill this year, as compared to three last year,” Gottlieb said in a 1969 Sun Article. He attributed this to the “well organized clamouring of women’s groups.”
Gottlieb served as an Assemblyman until 1972, after which he became a commisioner for the state Liqour Authority, according to the AP. Five years later, he also became commissioner for Crime Victims Compensation.
He was elected to be a Civil Court Judge in 1994, the AP reported, being re-elected for a second 10-year term in 2004. He retired in 2006.
Gottlieb is survived by his three daughters — Christine, Suzannah and Lindsay — his son Peter, two grandchildren and two siblings. His wife Carol died in 1996, according to the AP.