Edward Rondthaler
Encyclopedia
Edward Rondthaler was a typographist
as well as a simplified spelling champion and chairman of the American Literacy Council. He was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
. A long time resident of the village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York
, Rondthaler became a centenarian
in 2005.
In 1969, Rondthaler associated with Aaron Burns and Herb Lubalin in founding the International Typeface Corporation
. For several decades, ITC furnished manufacturers of photographic, electronic and laser equipment, a plethora of superb typefaces.
In later life, Rondthaler became interested in promoting the spelling reform of the English language
as a means of fighting illiteracy. He was also an avid historian.
Rondthaler wrote a weekly letter to the editor of the local newspaper. Formerly very active in his community, for reasons of health he moved to Utah in 2008 to be closer to his family. He died of natural causes in Utah on August 19, 2009 at the age of 104.
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
and his wife Katharine Boring, the daughter of a Philadelphia pharmacist. His grandfather (Rev. Edward Rondthaler) was a Moravian church bishop. Rondthaler spent his youth in Salem, North Carolina.
Rondthaler married Dorothy (Dot) Reid in 1930. They were married for 72 years up until her death in 2002. The Rondthalers had 3 sons. He lived in his Sears Roebuck home
in Croton-on-Hudson from 1941 until 2008. He and his wife bought the home from Emer Yeager and Olga D’ Allaz Yeager for the sum of $7000. They paid off the mortgage
on the house in 1946.
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
as well as a simplified spelling champion and chairman of the American Literacy Council. He was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
. A long time resident of the village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Rondthaler became a centenarian
Centenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
in 2005.
Early life
Rondthaler received his first small printing press at the age of 5, thus starting his career in the graphic arts. Working in New York in the 1930s, he associated with Harold Horman of the Rutherford Machinery Co. Together they adapted a step-and-repeat machine (for texture and metal printing) for photographic lettering, and in 1936 founded Photo Lettering Inc.In 1969, Rondthaler associated with Aaron Burns and Herb Lubalin in founding the International Typeface Corporation
International Typeface Corporation
The International Typeface Corporation was a type manufacturer founded in New York in 1970 by Aaron Burns, Herb Lubalin, and Edward Rondthaler. The company was one of the world's first type foundries to have no history in the production of metal type...
. For several decades, ITC furnished manufacturers of photographic, electronic and laser equipment, a plethora of superb typefaces.
In later life, Rondthaler became interested in promoting the spelling reform of the English language
English spelling reform
For hundreds of years, many groups and individuals have advocated spelling reform for English. Spelling reformers seek to make English spelling more consistent and more phonetic, so that spellings match pronunciations and follow the alphabetic principle....
as a means of fighting illiteracy. He was also an avid historian.
Longevity
Rondthaler credited his long and healthy life to clean living, good genes, and regular cold showers. In an interview with CNN Ed stated "When my brother in 1918 came home from the army, he said, 'Ed, whenever you take a hot shower, end it with an ice cold one and count to 100. When your older brother tells you to do something, you do it," he said.Rondthaler wrote a weekly letter to the editor of the local newspaper. Formerly very active in his community, for reasons of health he moved to Utah in 2008 to be closer to his family. He died of natural causes in Utah on August 19, 2009 at the age of 104.
Personal life
Edward Rondthaler was the son of Howard Rondthaler, a Moravian bishop and president of Salem CollegeSalem College
Salem College is a liberal arts women's college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina founded in 1772. Originally established as a primary school, it later became an academy and finally a college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college...
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
and his wife Katharine Boring, the daughter of a Philadelphia pharmacist. His grandfather (Rev. Edward Rondthaler) was a Moravian church bishop. Rondthaler spent his youth in Salem, North Carolina.
Rondthaler married Dorothy (Dot) Reid in 1930. They were married for 72 years up until her death in 2002. The Rondthalers had 3 sons. He lived in his Sears Roebuck home
Sears Catalog Home
Sears Catalog Homes were ready-to-assemble kit houses sold through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Company, an American retailer. Over 70,000 of these were sold in North America between 1908 and 1940. Shipped via railroad boxcars, these kits included all the materials needed to build a house...
in Croton-on-Hudson from 1941 until 2008. He and his wife bought the home from Emer Yeager and Olga D’ Allaz Yeager for the sum of $7000. They paid off the mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
on the house in 1946.
Commercials
Since turning 100 Rondthaler had been featured in a number of commercials which had led to his most recent notoriety.- Featured in Genworth FinancialGenworth FinancialGenworth Financial is a Fortune 500 global financial security company that specializes in life and long term care insurance, wealth management, mortgage insurance, lifestyle protection insurance and annuities...
100 + stories ad campaign. - Featured in Pearle Vision I Have Seen ad campaign.
- Featured in House IndustriesHouse IndustriesHouse Industries is a type foundry and design studio based in Yorklyn, Delaware. The company was created in the 1990s in Wilmington, Delaware by co-founders Andy Cruz and Rich Roat. The company is best known for its typeface creations, which have appeared on television , in film House Industries is...
House Industries Presents Ed Rondthaler ad campaign.
External links
- Edward Rondthaler bio at myfonts.com
- CNN article
- Edward Rondthaler: One Old but Cool Relative
- Simplified Spelling Society
- Simplified Spelling Society Personal View 8, by Edward Rondthaler
- Stuttering Foundation
- Happy 100th, Mr. Rondthaler!
- Ed Rondthaler on English spelling (quicktime video)
- Edward Rondthaler's obituary