M. Jeffrey Koenreich

MIAMI, Fla. —M. Jeffrey Koenreich, 54, passed away Thursday, May 1, at his home in Miami, Fla.

He was born Feb. 1, 1954, son of Pearl Koenreich and the late Gilson Koenreich.

Jeff graduated from Salem High School in 1972 and attended The Ohio State University, graduating in 1976. While in Columbus, Jeff worked at the Statehouse as a page for several state representatives.

Jeff was a 35-year veteran of the American Red Cross starting in 1972 in Salem. In 1978, he continued his work at the Red Cross in Washington, D.C. In 1983 while he was in Washington, D.C., he received the Red Cross Distinguished National Tiffany Award for Employee Excellence. During his years in Washington, he was very active with the Lincoln Theatre renovation and the surrounding Cardoza-Shaw Neighborhood Association. He was a ghost writer for the Washington Post, and he was involved with a clinic treating AIDS patients. Before he left Washington, D.C., he worked with the organ donation-transplant division of the Red Cross.

From Washington, Jeff was transferred to Savannah, Ga., with the Red Cross and eventually to Miami, Fla. During his stay in Miami, Jeff also worked with the Royal Caribbean Cruiselines, writing captions for their coffee table book, Elegance at Sea. Most recently, Jeff was employed by Switchboard of Miami, Inc., a private, nonprofit crisis counseling organization. He was very active in their fund raising and was currently working on their annual fund-raising event, Ruby Anniversary Gala.

Jeff was active in promoting humanitarian efforts in U.S. and Cuban relationships, and co-authored the book, “After the Bay of Pigs” with the late Pablo Perez-Cisneros and John B. Donovan.

Jeff also authored a cookbook entitled, “Pearl’s From The Kitchen” under the pen name “Jeffrey Campanelli,” from the Mama Mia Publishing Co., Washington, D.C.

Jeff was survived by his mother, Pearl Koenreich of Salem; two sisters, Paula Koenreich and his twin sister, Elizabeth “Beth” A. Fisher and her husband, Jeff Fisher, all of Salem, and a brother, Phillip Scott Koenreich and his wife, Cindy, of Sarasota, Fla. He also is survived by nieces and nephews, Brenda Hall Bosley and her daughter, Kayla, of Lexington, N.C., Jesse Patrick Fisher and fiance, Milena Sena, of Miami, Fla., Eric Koenreich and Ashley Koenreich, both of Tampa, Fla., Devon Fisher Stryffeler and her husband, Sean, and their son, Caden, of Charlotte, N.C.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, May 23, at the Arbaugh-Pearce-Greenisen Funeral Home with a time of visitation from 6 p.m. until service time.

Those wishing to honor Jeff’s memory are encouraged to make a donation in his name to Mobile Meals of Salem Inc., 1995 E. State St., Salem, Ohio 44460

5/9/08