Allan “Zayde” Pritzker
Born July 29, 1931
Son of Irving Pritzker and Rose Topaz
Allan was loved by this large family and considered by all as the patriarch. Some called Allan by Av for father, others would call him Zayde for grandfather or even Great Zayde. This large and growing family is the legacy that Allan leaves.
As a child, Zayde was fed chicken and rice every Shabbat until he cracked open a chicken egg and found a chick. Since that day in his life, he did not eat any foul or rice.
In high school, he was a bit of a “cut-up.” He focused on mechanics and auto repair classes to get by. He loved cars! He went to a Forest Hills High School dance and met an attractive young lady that he fancied, but she may not have fancied him.
He met Lenore, aka Bubby, again on a blind double date with a friend and the rest is history!
He went into the military out of high school. Zayde was deployed to Germany and France during the Korean conflict where he became a Sargent and part of his responsibility included repairing tanks. Zayde dated Bubby for a short period of time and they were married on June 20, 1952. They honeymooned in Texarkana, Texas and traveled to Texas from Baltimore in a convertible.
While Zayde was deployed in Europe, Bubby was pregnant with Richard. In 1954, Zayde got word Bubby was in labor and flew back from Europe but missed Richard’s delivery by a day.
Bubby and Zayde moved in with Mamma Blanche and Daddy Ben (Bubby’s parents) to help with baby Richard. They eventually bought a house off Liberty Road in Randallstown near Baltimore and had four more children – Sharon in 1955, Eric in 1957, Leslie in 1958 and Jordan in 1961. During this time, Zayde worked for Daddy Ben. Bubby and Zayde eventually chose to move away seeking a new life in a warmer climate. They liked Texas; however, Bubby’s sister Sandra had moved from Baltimore to Orlando, Florida for her husband’s work with Martin Marietta. Orlando was the place to go!
August of 1961, they loaded up the Plymouth station wagon, towed a trailer, and drove to Orlando with four kids and a 3-month-old. They rented a house in what apparently was a condemned home over a sinkhole. Zayde took any job he could get for income – mostly mechanical jobs.
Zayde connected with the VA and took a mail order locksmith course. He opened Al-Len Lock Co. in Pine Hills Shopping Center in 1961, the second oldest locksmith company in Orlando. He built the building out of used lumber and ran an extension cord from a phone booth for electricity. Bubby was receiving service calls on a phone at the house and would call Zayde in the shop through the phone booth; 305-293-0057. Phone numbers ending in a 7 were phone booths.
In the early 1960s, a local recession led to layoffs in central Florida and a surge in foreclosed homes. Zayde got the contract to do the lock work on these foreclosed houses in his little white English Ford truck with the slogan on the side “Why worry, we hurry.”
The business grew – Zayde did service calls 24/7 365 days a year. Bubby and his kids contacted him on the commercial radio – “KBI 407 base to unit 4.”
The business grew – Bubby and Zayde bought the property of a veterinarian Dr. Black at 4550 West Colonial Drive in Orlando. They built Al-Len Lock Co. with a Spanish style front over the old house.
The business grew – Zayde branched out into safes and manufactured money drop safes and installation jigs for the safes.
In the late 1960s, Bubby and Zayde befriended several Israeli Naval Officers stationed at the Orlando Naval Training Center (which is now the site of Baldwin Park). They became close friends with several Israeli sailors and traveled many times to Israel to visit and bring sheets, towels, and jeans to them. Richard, Sharon, and Eric went to Israel for a summer in 1972, the house was quiet, and nine months later Raanan was born (12 years younger than Jordan, oops).
In 1974, they moved to Hillary Court in a condo near Orlando Country Club. In 1982 they built a house in Winter Park designed to be a large family hospitality home. Bubby loved to have everyone for the Jewish holidays. In the early 1980s, the travel bug was building and they decided to travel the county in motorhomes. They started in an Airstream and moved on to luxury RVs including two Vogue motorhomes and two Prevost buses over about twenty years. Zayde drove several times throughout the continental United States.
Zayde and Bubby moved to many houses over the next few years. Crown’s Point in Winter Garden, RV site in Titusville, Lake Buynak house, King’s Ridge, and Summit Green.
Zayde and Bubby did two world cruises in 2010 and 2012 – highlighted by ordering special requests for Tempurpedic mattresses and blueberries in their stateroom. They moved back to Orlando Country Club to a condo in 2017.
Zayde lost Lenore in September 2021. For the last five years, he loved watching his great grandchildren enjoy playing in his home.
Zayde and Bubby are survived by six children, 13 grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren and counting and a Pritzker legacy that will continue to grow; L’dor V’ Dor.
Funeral Service for Zayde was held 10:00 AM, Sunday, October 12, 2026 in the Burton & Barbara Chasnov Pavilion at Congregation Ohev Shalom Cemetery (6034 Old Winter Garden Road, Orlando, FL) with Rabbi Shai Specht Sandler of Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation officiating. May Zayde rest in peace and may his memory always be a blessing.
Service entrusted to Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, 933 Lee Road, Suite 101, Orlando, Florida 407-599-1180.
