Raoul was an honors graduate of Rutgers University and was elected to Rho Chi at the Rutgers College of Pharmacy. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during WW II assigned to the Fleet Marine Force.
A pharmacist's son, he owned independent pharmacies for thirty years, until 1979, when he transitioned from retail pharmacy to teaching and consulting. Retained by Universal Infusion Health Care to serve as an instructor, he taught at Brookdale Community College and Lyons Veterans Hospital. He worked at Raritan Bay Medical Center and, after becoming a Certified Consulting Pharmacist, he was self-employed as a consultant to medical database firms.
Professionally, he was associated with organizations including the Middlesex County Pharmaceutical Society. He served on the Medical Expense Review Committee of the Welfare Board and on the State of New Jersey Board of Pharmacy Committee of Pharmacy Internship.
Community organizations benefiting from Raoul's activism included the Perth Amboy YMHA, where he was chairman of the Physical Education Committee for 18 years, and President of the YMHA, spearheading a very successful enlargement of the buildings facilities. During this period he chaired and co-chaired the UJA fund drive in the Perth Amboy area. More recently he was President of Beth Mordecai Temple and served on its Board of Trustees.
Raoul was the principal author of a federal grant application which established the Central Jersey Regional Air Pollution Control Agency, a federally funded agency that served, and still serves, the cities of Perth Amboy, South Amboy, Woodbridge, Linden, Rahway, and Sayreville. He was awarded the honor and position of first chairman of the controlling commission and remained active through January of 1984, overseeing this landmark agency's merge with the Middlesex County Department of Health.
Actively involved in sailing as a cruiser and a racer, he was elected Commodore in 1992 of the Raritan Yacht Club and also served on the Board of Governors. With his wife as crew, their sloop "Crusader Rabbit" was a well-traveled visitor to many northeastern ports and often host to family and friends.
His interest in electronics and radio communications involved designing, building, and maintaining much of the equipment and antennas for his amateur radio station. He was a 50 plus year "ham", member of the ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio. During the Guantanamo Bay crisis, his ham radio station provided phone patch service for the Marine Corps personnel based in Cuba.
On December 13, 2012 Raoul received a certificate of appreciation from the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary citing his dedication and commitment as well as energy and enthusiasm to strengthening the flotilla 4-3. The citation also noted that although gravely ill, Raoul continued to ensure the safety of all members of Division 4 as Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Raritan Bay. Raoul held many officer positions in the Coast Guard Auxiliary including Division Commander.
Raoul was predeceased by his wife Barbara Leon Rabiner in 2002, and his sisters Peppy Kluft and Norma Schwartz. He was the son of Boris and Sonia Rabiner. He is survived by his children, Robert (Vicki) Rabiner of Tiverton, Rhode Island and Betsy (Bruce) Zalaznick of Annandale, NJ and three grandchildren Daniel Rabiner, and Kate and Jon Zalaznick. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, December 23 at 11:00 am at Temple Beth Mordecai 224 High Street, Perth Amboy. Interment will follow in Mount Lebanon Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Flynn and Son Funeral Home 424 East Avenue, Perth Amboy.
Donations in memory of Raoul Rabiner may be made to Temple Beth Mordecai (Perth Amboy, NJ), Or Chadash (Flemington, NJ) Religious Education Enrichment Fund, or Schwartz Center for Children (Dartmouth, MA).
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