Ellis Horwitz

ELLIS A. HORWITZ, LAWYER AND PHOTOGRAPHER, DIES AT 85

Ellis A. Horwitz of Bryn Mawr, former Vice President and General Counsel of Scott Paper Company and later of ITOCHU International, Inc., died March 24 after an illness.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School, he spent most of his legal career in Philadelphia, and worked at Scott Paper Company for twenty-six years until the company was acquired by Kimberly Clark in the mid-1990's. Briefly retired, he took the suggestion of a law school friend to meet the Chairman of a Japanese trading company, ITOCHU International Inc. in New York, who felt that Horwitz's background in international business was exactly what their company needed. Moving to New York with his wife, Margot, he spent a dozen years at ITOCHU.

During his time with the company, the couple traveled frequently to foreign cities, especially Tokyo. Adventure was meaningful throughout their nearly 58 years of marriage, with Margot supporting not only her husband's work but also encouraging him to photograph the places they visited. Traveling to seven continents brought many opportunities for photography, with his workshop experiences at the Santa Fe Photography Workshop in Cuba and Mexico being particularly memorable. The walls of his home are filled with photographs depicting the cultures of many countries, to great interest of friends and family who visit. Yet the subjects of his work which won awards over the years were mostly taken in the United States, from the Anthony Wayne statue at the Philadelphia Art Museum to Grand Central Station in New York.

At the ITOCHU office on 9/11, he and his colleagues were stunned by the all-too-clear sight of the World Trade Center as the towers fell. That day, he often said, was one he would never forget-and he later took an unusual photograph of the WTC Memorial, shrouded in fog embodying the smoke of the earlier scene. This political and social consciousness was also reflected in his work with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters, neighborhood food drives and political campaigns.

After Ellis retired in 2006, he and Margot continued to travel. They were originally joined by their children, Claudia and Stuart, and then later by Stuart's wife, Dr. Bonnie Kane and granddaughters Fifer and Bodhi. and Claudia's partner, Sage Hayes. To celebrate Ellis and Margot's 50th anniversary, the family visited Amsterdam, to see the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum and other special sights. Spending time with his family after retirement was a source of pleasure for Ellis, and he especially enjoyed seeing his granddaughters grow into charming young women who loved "Gramps."

Besides his immediate family, Ellis Horwitz is survived by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Dr. Robert and Sharon Freedman, and his niece and nephew, Colette Freedman and David Freedman. Funeral services were held on March 28, with a memorial service planned for later in the spring.