Irwin E. Adler, 84, of Lee, Massachusetts, died on Thursday, September 18. He was born in Passaic, New Jersey, on June 5, 1930, and graduated from Passaic High School and Rutgers University. He had a successful textile manufacturing business, Allied Elastic Braid Corporation, in New York and New Jersey, for more than thirty years. Irwin began coming to the Berkshires as a camper in his youth and became enamored with the area with all of its beauty and cultural offerings. He and his wife, Claire, moved to the Berkshires over thirty years ago and were so happy to be part of Tanglewood, attending most of their summer concerts. He was an usher at Tanglewood for many years and donated to the building of Seiji Ozawa Hall. Irwin spent much of his time volunteering at other venues as well. He volunteered at the Food Bank in Lenox, Breaking Bread Kitchen dinners through Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, The Berkshire Theatre Festival and Barrington Stage. His love of and passion for music drew him to The Metropolitan Opera in New York City for over 70 years. He proudly displayed over 500 opera programs from performances that he had attended there in his Opera Museum in his home. He was also a proud patron of The Metropolitan Opera. His Opera Museum contained autographs from many famous opera singers, among other opera related artifacts, and he welcomed over 800 visitors there. He was known by his friends as "Mr. Opera" and wrote several books related to his love of opera. He also had a passion for travel, especially visiting Opera Houses in Europe where he had many good friends. He is survived by his wife, Claire Adler, of 55 years; his son, Bruce Adler, and his fiancé Janice Lee, of Hartsdale, NY; his daughter, Laurie Adler, and her husband, Joe Walker, of Naples, Florida; and his step son, Robert Talbot, of Petaluma, California. He will be buried in The Adler Family Circle in Beth David Cemetery in Elmont, New York on Wednesday, September 24th at 10:00 a.m. with services conducted by Rabbi Stephen Dresner. Donations in his memory can be made to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), where a Memorial Fund is being created in his memory. NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Donations may be sent through Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com
