Post-performance Life
In the early 1950s, Harry (now calling himself "Jaffe" again) and Rose retired from performance and management life, and moved to Florida, where they invested in several hotel properties. Rose died from cancer in April 1954, and was buried in Cook County, Illinois. In December 1955, he married a woman named Leona Decker in Monroe County, Florida.
In 1957, the couple moved to the Los Angeles area. Harry's health, especially his eyesight, had deteriorated badly. In his autobiography, he speculates that this might have been due to his heavy drinking. They invested in several properties, and a local daily newspaper ran a profile article of the famous circus man who had bought a hotel. He began writing a weekly column for a paper in Fontana, California. Concurrently, he started an employment agency, and also worked to help recent parolees reintegrate into society. His service was lauded by the state board of corrections at a testimonial dinner.
As his health waned, he began working on his memoirs. Freak Show Man: the Autobiography of Harry Lewiston, as told to Jerry Holtman, was published posthumously in 1968 by Holloway House Publishing Co.
Harry Jaffe died on June 1, 1965 in San Bernardino County.
Read more about this topic: Harry Lewiston
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