Funeral services are planned for Wednesday in Oakland, Calif., for Robert Seefeld, a veteran cable system owner and deal maker.
Seefeld died on Dec. 6, according to Jerry Yanowitz, vice president of federal affairs for the California Cable & Telecommunications Association. He said the police report stated Seefeld's car was found in the Berkeley, Calif., marina and his body was recovered from the water there. Yanowitz said foul play is not suspected.
Seefeld, 58, a Philadelphia native, was well known in the cable industry. He has owned cable systems in Pennsylvania and California. For instance, he was a minority owner, with H.R. "Gerry" Lenfest, of Cable Oakland (Calif.) in the 1980s. More recently, he owned then sold systems in Dinuba and Reedley, Calif. He also served as president of the Philadelphia Cable Club, according to published reports, and later was involved in the thoroughbred horse breeding industry.
He also assisted programming services, ranging from Jewish Television to the Erotic Network, as they tried to gain carriage on cable and direct-broadcast satellite systems.
Seefeld never married. A memorial service, planned by friends, is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. A death notice published Monday on the Web site Insidebayarea.com said a traditional Jewish service was planned at the cemetery.
