Tenafly, NJ – Gerald “Jerry” Schweibel, 93, of Tenafly, NJ, formerly of Williamsville, NY, passed away peacefully on April 26, 2026. He was a member of the U.S. Trotting Association Board of Directors representing District 4 for 13 years starting in 1992.
Jerry grew up in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, New York. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. For 60 inseparable years, he shared his life with his beloved wife, Sandra, who passed away in 2017. Together, they built a family rooted in love and connection: their children, Robin and Alan Miller of Tenafly, NJ, and Howard and Michelle Schweibel of Wayne, NJ; grandchildren Danielle and Robert, Benji and Kaylee, Melissa, Douglas and Marisa, Darren, and Drew; and great-grandchildren Lily, Sophie, Vivienne, and Margot.
He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Norman Kurlander, and his wife, Nancy, of Boca Raton, Florida. Jerry was cherished by his extended family and many dear friends. His kindness, warmth, humor, and generous spirit touched countless lives.
A graveside service was held on April 28, 2026, at Cedar Park Cemetery in Paramus, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations be made to the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades Gerald and Sandra Schweibel Foundation or Temple Emanu-El of Closter—two organizations that enriched Jerry’s life, especially in his later years.
Jerry was truly one of a kind—a charismatic, athletic, and handsome man whose popularity was matched only by his humility. He often joked that he was the second-fastest person in Buffalo during his high school years. A standout athlete, he excelled in football, basketball, and track.
Jerry played in the famous Bennett-Kensington football game on October 21, 1948, which drew a record-breaking crowd of more than 50,000 spectators to a 36,500-seat stadium—“you can look it up,” as Jerry might have said. It remains the largest attendance for a high school football game in New York State history.
He met Sandy while attending the University of Buffalo. She was a student at Buffalo State College. They met during the “Yom Kippur Kaper Dance” in the fall of 1955 and were married on Mother’s Day in 1956—a partnership that would last a lifetime.
Jerry worked in his family’s business, Schweibel’s Meat Market, eventually taking over from his father. Known as “the kosher butcher’s handsome son,” he was admired both for his athletic achievements and his charm. In 2006, he was inducted into the Bennett High School Sports Hall of Fame, surrounded by Sandy, his children, and his grandchildren.
Over the years, Jerry wore many hats—literally and figuratively. After selling the meat market, he purchased Dad’s Cookies and later invested in Pleasures & Pastimes, a precursor to Michael’s craft stores. But one of the greatest passions of Jerry’s life began much earlier: harness horse racing.
Jerry developed a deep affection for harness racing after his father first took him to the track as a teenager. In 1955, he purchased his first horse, Grand Gamon Volo, beginning a lifelong love affair with owning, racing, and caring for horses.
There were many highlights. In 1965, Strawberry Ridge won the Governor’s Cup Race, one of the premier events in harness racing at the time. Jerry also owned Jenan, who was named Female Horse of the Year in 1970.
When Jenan broke her leg during a race in 1971, Jerry refused to simply accept that her racing days were over. He had heard about swimming pools in Europe being used to rehabilitate injured horses, allowing them to exercise without the pounding associated with running on a track. Jerry built a rehabilitation pool in Batavia, New York, and horses were shipped there from across the United States. Equine swimming pools eventually became commonplace, but Jerry’s was the first of its kind.
His love of racing would eventually lead him into an entirely new career.
In 1985, Jerry began working at Buffalo Raceway as Promotions Director. One of the first things General Manager Gaston Valiquete asked him to do was host a television program about the horses. At the time, the program could be seen in OTB parlors, but patrons could not even hear it.
Jerry transformed it into “A Night at the Races with Jerry Schweibel.”
He reviewed races and, at the end of each show, interviewed local celebrities and athletes—sometimes even joining them to participate in their sports. Jerry’s charisma, humor, and enthusiasm turned the show into a local favorite, and it became the number-one-rated cable program in Buffalo for more than ten years.
Whether he was on television or simply talking to someone at the track, Jerry had a way of making everyone feel welcome and included.
When the General Manager stepped down in 1988, Buffalo Raceway went through seven replacements over the next three years. Jerry was eventually named Interim General Manager. What was supposed to be temporary became a job he would hold for more than a decade.
Jerry made going to Buffalo Raceway an event. Friday and Saturday nights became sellouts, and people would beg him for good seats in the restaurant. He created countless promotions, including the unforgettable spectacle of bringing an actual buffalo to race against the horses.
Jerry loved the track, and the track benefited enormously from Jerry.
His commitment to harness racing extended well beyond Buffalo Raceway. Jerry believed deeply in giving back to the sport that had given him so much. He served for 13 years on the Board of the USTA. His passion never faded. Right up until the day he passed, Jerry watched the races on television and spoke about his enduring love for the track, the horses, and harness racing.
Family, however, was always at the center of Jerry’s life.
He took immense pride in the accomplishments and milestones of his children and grandchildren, celebrating graduations, marriages, births, and successes with genuine joy. When Robin and Howie moved to New Jersey, Jerry and Sandy followed so they could remain close to their growing family.
One of Jerry’s greatest joys was becoming a great-grandfather to four beautiful great-granddaughters, with whom he cherished every moment.
After Sandy’s passing in 2017, Jerry found renewed purpose and community at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, where his daughter is a Past President and Board Member. Known affectionately as “Grandpa Jerry,” “Mr. Bubbles,” or “Grandpa Bubbles,” he became a beloved presence among children and staff alike.
He spent his days bringing smiles to preschoolers, offering encouragement to staff, and connecting with everyone he met. He also became a regular at All Lacrosse, the store run by his son and grandson, where he formed lasting friendships.
Jerry had a rare gift: he made people feel seen, valued, and loved.
Sports are a religion in the Schweibel/Miller/Garcia households because of Jerry.
Buffalo Bills games are events that everyone has to be a part of—and planning the menu may be even more important than the game itself.
The holiest day of the year is the Saturday after Thanksgiving: Ohio State University vs. Michigan. Jerry had kids on both sides of the rivalry, so he would root for the underdog—or simply whichever team his granddaughter Melissa was rooting for. He loved every minute of it.
Daily phone calls to family—and plenty of people who weren’t family—for reviews of the Yankees and Knicks games were part of life with Jerry. Hearing him ask his phone, “What time is the Knicks game?” was a constant occurrence whenever you were with him.
He bet games with all the kids and especially marveled at how smart Danielle was with the long-term bets she placed with him.
Jerry passed peacefully, leaving behind a legacy built on his love of family, harness horses, the Buffalo Bills, the Knicks, the Yankees, and, above all, his deep connection with people.
He had an extraordinary ability to brighten a room and lift the spirits of those around him.
Though he is deeply missed, Jerry’s presence lives on in the many lives he touched, in the sport he loved, and most of all, in the family he adored so deeply.