LOS ALAMITOS, CA — After decades of nurturing the budding futures of our youth, Dr. Arnold Weintraub passed away on Dec. 19, 2022, at the age of 80. Although he is gone, Dr. Weintraub will leave a lasting imprint on the lives of the many children he taught.

Born in Omaha, Neb., Dr. Weintraub attended Omaha Central High School while his father worked at a local restaurant as a bartender. During high school, Dr. Weintraub dabbled in the arts, performing a production of My Fair Lady. Dr. Weintraub has a love for music, frequently referencing a concert by the rock band, Three Dog Night, in his many stories. Many of his high school friends remain close to him.

After graduating high school, Dr. Weintraub attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he majored in speech and communication, later obtaining a Ph.D. in the field. His doctoral dissertation was about the speeches of Robert Kennedy during the Vietnam War. This dissertation would later be archived at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

After leaving the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dr. Weintaub returned to Omaha Central High School, this time as a teacher and coach of the Speech and Debate Club. He would work for 15 years at Omaha Central High School full-time, then another 15 years at Los Alamitos High School as a substitute teacher. In addition to his career in teaching, Dr. Weintraub worked at a vitamin purchasing company; he frequently got free Dodgers game tickets from clients there.

Outside of school, Dr. Weintraub enjoys singing in the choir at Temple Beth David and cheering on his alma mater’s football team. But, most of all, Dr. Weintraub enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren. While most people at school refer to him as “Dr. W.,” his grandchildren refer to him affectionately as “silly Grandpa.” Recently, he and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, a particular date that will always tug on the heartstrings of the couple.

When children saw Dr. Weintraub at the front of the classroom ready to teach, their faces lit up with delight. Every student with some experience with Dr. Weintraub can recall his friendly smile, his charmingly raspy voice, and most notably the joy that he emanated towards every pupil he ever taught.

He could light up a classroom, too. Never once has any student had Dr. Weintraub without a greeting of “Good morning” or “Good afternoon.” And, he expected a response, a good response at that. If nobody answered his salutation, he would repeat it again, once, maybe twice, until a response of smiling faces glowed up the room.

Students were not the only ones who knew Dr. Weintraub cared, so did the many teachers that entrusted him with their students if they were unable to come to work. Teachers respected Dr. Weintraub’s wisdom that he accrued through decades in the classroom.

Dr. Weintraub is survived by his wife, Sharon, his children Nancy, Jason, and Scott, and their spouses, David Kahn, Dana Wolinsky, and Hilary, along with his grandchildren, Ben, Balin, Tae, and Hope.

Some remembrances from students