Sheldon L. Gottlieb

Sheldon Lawrence Gottlieb, 84, died Sunday, October 11, 2026, at home in North Conway, New Hampshire after many years of cancer treatment that he faced with remarkable strength and positivity. He was born on April 21, 1942, in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Milton and Belle Gottlieb.

He was the beloved husband of Jeanne Gottlieb. They were married on January 9, 1982, in Exeter, New Hampshire.

As a young man, Sheldon played the clarinet and was an avid bowler. He studied history, music, and education at Rutgers University, then taught history and sociology in both high school and college classrooms. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Franklin Pierce Law School in 1981. In 1983, he and Jeanne moved to Miami, Florida, where he opened his own law practice specializing in immigration and criminal law. Over 30 years, until 2013, he helped countless immigrants with their cases so they could build new lives in the United States. Helping people was at the heart of who he was. When clients couldn’t afford legal services, he often accepted artwork or food as payment instead.

Sheldon had a wide range of passions, including photography, jazz, cooking, reading, traveling, hiking, and skiing. He built an extensive collection of books and music, and his photographs were displayed throughout his homes in both Miami and New Hampshire. He loved cooking dinner each night with jazz playing in the background, and he would often end the evening with a Florida Panthers hockey game or a Marlins baseball game.

He was predeceased by his parents, Milton and Belle Gottlieb, and his brother, Charlie.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; his daughters, Amanda and Rebecca; his son-in-law, Lou; and his grandson, Spencer.

Services and burial will be held privately.

Sheldon had hoped to make it to Election Day this November, because voting was extremely important to him. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor him with the gift he would have wanted most: helping our country come together again as a united nation, where immigrants and people of all backgrounds are welcome, and where, above all, we lead with kindness and empathy.

Assisting the family with arrangements is Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium, Littleton.

To view Sheldon’s Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.phaneuf.net.