Hon. Arnold W. Aronson

Hon. Arnold William Aronson

West Hartford, Connecticut

Hon. Arnold William Aronson passed away peacefully on August 14, 2025, at the age of 98, after meeting the challenges of congestive heart failure, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with courage and grace.

Judge Aronson was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on December 10, 1926, to Samuel and Catherine Aronson. Like many young men of his generation, following graduation from Weaver High School (class of 1944) in Hartford, Arnold enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in New Guinea and the Philippines toward the end of World War II. With the help of the GI Bill, he attended the University of Connecticut in Storrs, the University of Connecticut School of Law in Hartford, and later the University of Hartford, where he earned an M.S. in Taxation.

In the U.S. Army, Arnold served on active duty in the infantry from 1944–1947, in the reserves and in the Judge Advocate General Corps from 1947–1968. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Major. In 2015, he was honored by the First Company of the Governor’s Foot Guard for his service in World War II.

After graduating from law school in 1954, he began practicing law in Hartford as a general practitioner, representing a wide range of individuals and businesses in corporate, real estate, and litigation matters. He valued the friendships and professional relationships he developed with many outstanding attorneys and law firms over the years.

In 1982, Arnold was confirmed as a Superior Court Judge. He served as Presiding Judge and Administrative Judge in Hartford and New Britain. In 1993, he became the first Judge to be assigned to the new Tax Session of the Superior Court, sitting first in Hartford and then in New Britain. From 1995–2024, he served as Judge Trial Referee assigned to the Tax Court. In 2003, he was named Tax Judge of the Year by the National Conference of State Tax Judges and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. While in New Britain, he helped revitalize the Greater New Britain Bar Association, enjoyed participating in the Bar’s annual golf tournament, and was honored when the tournament trophy was named the Arnold W. Aronson Cup. Prior to his passing, he wished he could have one more lunch from Great Taste Restaurant in New Britain, one of his favorite spots while working there. Always eager to embrace new things, Arnold took pride in keeping up with technology and was delighted to conduct an online tax court trial over MS Teams during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arnold was active in many professional and community organizations, including the Connecticut Bar Association (serving on numerous committees), American Bar Association, Officers Club of Hartford, Bloomfield Charter Revision Commission, Bloomfield Exchange Club (former president), Alumni Advisory Board of the Barney School of Business at the University of Hartford (past chairman), Congregation Beth Israel (former president and board member), the National Board of the Union for Reform Judaism, the Court Rules Committee, Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys (former president), Greater New Britain Bar Association (former executive committee member), and the National Conference of State Tax Judges (former chairman). In 2021, he received an Appreciation Award from the Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers.

While Arnold’s professional life brought him many accomplishments, the heart of his life was always his family. In 1956, a mutual friend introduced him to Hermia Seidman, a schoolteacher from Springfield, Massachusetts. From their very first meeting, Arnold knew she was the one. Their love for each other remained constant and enduring, and they recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary. Together, they shared a love of travel, exploring the world and visiting places as far-reaching as Antarctica, Australia, China, England, Egypt, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, and Turkey. They were also avid golfers, Arnold having developed his love for the game as a young boy caddying at Keney Park and, with Hermia, playing courses across the United States and other countries.

Arnold’s greatest joy came from being a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was endlessly proud of his children, Sheryl and Stephen, their spouses, his grandchildren, and his great-granddaughter. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Hermia; his daughter Sheryl (David); his son Stephen (Esther); grandchildren Benjamin (Ari), Kenneth, Jacob (Millie), Samuel (Apoorva), and Shayna; great-granddaughter Kaia; nieces and nephews; and many dear friends.

He was predeceased by his sister, Phyllis Aronson Strutton, and his brothers, Gerald Aronson of Granby, Connecticut, and Leonard Aronson of Vernon, Connecticut.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, August 18, 2025, at 11:00 am, at Congregation Beth Israel, located at 701 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, Connecticut, followed by interment at the CBI Cemetery on Jackson Street off Arch Road, in Avon, Connecticut. After interment, the family will receive friends from 1-4 pm at the home of Esther and Stephen Aronson, 12 Pioneer Drive, in Avon. Shiva will be at Stephen and Esther’s home on Monday, August 18 and Tuesday, August 19, 6:30-8:30 pm with the service to begin at 7:00 pm.

Anyone wishing to make donations in Arnold’s memory is encouraged to contribute the Hon. & Mrs. Arnold Aronson Fund https://jcfhartford.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1062 at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford or a charity of their choice.