Between May and November for 25 years, Jerome Tauber could be seen sailing in and out of Three Mile Harbor with his wife, Janet, and dog, Chester, almost every day.
Mr. Tauber, who was called Jerry, took great pleasure in sailing the local waters and often ventured farther up and down the coast. When sailing became too difficult recently, he would ride his green self-converted electric Schwinn bicycle all over Montauk, his family said.
Mr. Tauber died of pneumonia on July 3 at the age of 79.
He had a master’s degree in mathematics from Stony Brook University, but as he became increasingly involved in the antiwar movement during the Vietnam War, he decided to pursue a law degree at Wayne State University in Michigan “as a way to try to work for peace,” his family said.
He worked for the Detroit law firm of Kenneth Cockrel in 1973 and then from 1974 to 1995 for Sipser, Weinstock, Harper & Dorn in New York City, eventually becoming a partner.
After retirement he continued his studies of mathematics, mathematical philosophy, and logic, taking many classes and seminars. He had recently been invited to be a guest lecturer at a graduate class at Stony Brook.
Mr. Tauber was born in New York City on Sept. 16, 1944, to Mendel Tauber and the former Rose Elias. He grew up in Queens and graduated from high school there, going on to attend Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Mr. Tauber was married from 1965 to 1972 to Rose Naparstek.
On Dec. 30, 1983, he married Janet Sawyer. The couple lived in Manhattan, and later split their time between the city and Montauk. He lived in Montauk full time from 2001 to 2010.
An amateur radio operator, Mr. Tauber got his ham radio license at the age of 15. Active in the Bonac Amateur Radio Club, he was its treasurer at the time of his death.
He had also been a member of the North River Sail and Power Squadron.
“The great joy of his later years was watching the grandchildren grow and the Montauk summer gatherings with kids, cats and dogs, and lots of laughs,” his family said.
He is survived by his wife, two stepdaughters, Carla Chadwick of Riverside, Conn., and Cecile Johnston of Cabot, Vt., and by four stepgrandchildren. He also leaves a sister, Gail Tauber of New York City, and a brother, Michael Tauber of Tucson. A stepson, Robert Johnston, died before him.
Mr. Tauber was cremated. His ashes were buried at Fort Hill Cemetery in Montauk on July 8.
