Byram Councilman Harvey Roseff dies at 67

Byram Councilman Harvey Roseff died on Feb. 3 at the age of 67 after a brief illness.

“I got to know Harvey over the past decade, long before either of us was elected, as we both regularly attended council meetings and often crossed paths at Board of Education and county meetings,” said Byram Mayor Alex Rubenstein, who often met Roseff for lunch to discuss issues facing the town. “Harvey and I did not always agree, but I always respected that Harvey stood firmly by his principles and was never afraid to voice his opinion. Just as importantly, our disagreements were almost always respectful, thoughtful, and rooted in what each of us believed was best for the town. I ask the community to keep Harvey and his family in their thoughts, and to join us in mourning the loss of a respected public servant.”

Having grown up in New Rochelle, N.Y., and Fair Lawn, Roseff attended Stevens Institute of Technology and graduated from New Jersey Institute of Technology with a degree in electrical engineering. He was self-employed in the aerospace industry. He moved to Lake Hopatcong for a few years in the 1980s before settling in Byram in 1987.

“Harvey was the head of our family,” said Lisa Yourman, his sister. “He loved my kids and my grandson and always took care of his loved ones. Our family is heartbroken by this loss, and we appreciate your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

While family came first, Roseff had no shortage of love for Byram. Elected to the township council in 2017, he dedicated himself to the town and Forest Lakes community. Throughout his public service, Roseff worked on issues from infrastructure and community development to preserving local history.

“He loved the outdoors and water sports in particular,” Yourman said. “Byram was the perfect place for him to relax and enjoy the lake community, but it was the residents who inspired him to be so involved.”

His public service was noticed across Sussex County.

“Harvey was a champion of the taxpayer,” Sussex County Board of County Commissioners Director Jill Space said. “My thoughts go out to his family during this rough time.”

Roseff’s love of the county was contagious.

“Harvey, my wife and I sailed together on the sound as we all had a love for water,” said lifetime friend Steven Hobbs. “He elected to move to Sussex County and Lake Hopatcong in the early 1980s and we followed. Harvey was honest, levelheaded and the smartest person we ever met. He was a great friend and always would be there for anyone in need. He will be missed by many.”

In addition to Yourman, a Fair Lawn resident, Roseff is survived by his niece Sarah Tota (Thomas) and their son Henry of Hawthorne; and his nephew Jeffrey Yourman (Allison) of Austin, Texas.

Donations can be made in Harvey’s memory to the Boomer Esiason Foundation at esiason.org.

Process to fill Roseff’s seat

“We, the four remaining council people, called out to anyone interested in filling the seat until the next general election,” said Rubenstein. “From that group, the council will select someone and appoint them by resolution – probably in early March – to fill Harvey’s seat until the end of this calendar year. Later this year, a candidate or candidates will follow the normal procedure to run for a council seat by going through the petition process and then the election process and whoever is elected on Nov. 3 of this year will be sworn in in January of 2027 to serve Harvey’s unexpired term of three years.”