In Memory

Scott Wolstein

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06/04/22 03:23 PM #1    

Correy Avner

Very sad. Scott- always a very nice and down to earth person and true Mensch.

06/07/22 01:35 AM #2    

Jed Davis



Remembering Scott Wolstein

 

My most vivid memory of Scott took place in early April,1966, when Scott and I were in 8th grade. From Shaker and Green, we took the Rapid Transit downtown. At that time, it was 30 cents each way. Upon arriving at the Terminal Tower, we always went straight upstairs to Higbee’s lunch counter, where we devoured the incredible chocolate malted served in a Pepsi-styled glass for 50 cents. Expensive, but worth it! We then made our rounds to various music and army/navy stores before heading home. On that April day, it was rainy and cold. I had a fascination with the hermit caves that one could see from the Rapid shortly after entering or emerging from the underground Terminal Tower station. In reality, these were abandoned culverts and having seen someone sitting next to one, I had always insisted that hermits lived inside of them.  Other than the caves, there wasn’t much to look at. As usual, Scott and I were deep in conversation the whole way. The nature of our relationship was that we had these intense verbal confrontations to the point of shoving each other. But then, we would break out into laughter because at a certain point, we became aware of how stupid and ridiculous we probably looked. 

Towards the end of our Saturday afternoon sojourn and deep into conversation, I suddenly realized that we had reached our stop at Green Road. “Here is our stop! Let’s get off.” As you remember, the Green Road stop was the end of the line and I thought we were there. But after disembarking from the yellow train, I noticed that the Rapid kept traveling East. We had gotten off at the Byron Junior High School exit, the latter of which looked just like Green Road! Scott was furious and as we walked the extra mile or two in the rain to get to Green Road. Scott started yelling at me over and over, “You ass, you hole.” Five minutes later it hadn’t stopped: “You ass, you hole.” I thought it was very funny which in turn made Scott more angry but eventually, anger turned into laughter. And that was the unique nature of our relationship. Fierce fighting always broke out into uncontrollable laughter. 

Why tell this useless teenage anecdote? Well, this is more than just an idle teen story from the good old days. It is a story about why Scott Wolstein was so successful at life.

Years ago when working as a TA at the University of Michigan, I taught a student who had spent his career in the U.S. Army. I knew little about the army so one day I asked him the following question: “I know it is hard to become a general. Who are the people who make it to that level? Do they have some strategic/technical knowledge or accomplishment that catapulted them to the top?” He shook his head and smiled. “It has nothing to do with technical expertise or battle accomplishments. The people who make it to the top level have a certain way with people. They can work with anyone and get along with anyone. That is why they go to the top. They become the unanimous choice for promotion.” 

That was Scott. He knew the secret to success was predicated on his ability to build relationships and create win-win situations. Scott explains his philosophy and approach in the following YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTox9K0DZ9Q  I have watched it many times because the wisdom he practices is simple yet brilliant. 

Scott’s philosophy and success is exemplified in my all-time favorite Scott story. His company signed a deal with Walmart for the sale of land in Kentucky but with the understanding that upon signing, Walmart was restricted in their use of existing properties in that area. As soon as the ink dried, Walmart reneged and started to proceed as they had secretly planned. But Scott was one step ahead. He quietly had added a clause that stipulated the deal null and void if Walmart reneged. Bottom line: Walmart had to buy back the property. But that is not the most amazing part of the story. The remarkable part was that Scott found a way to forge a positive relationship  with the Walmart executive who tried to swindle him. They proceeded to become best friends. 

That was classic Scott. Positive. Energetic. Sensitive to others. Magnanimous. Really smart!

Scott, your high school diploma may have another school printed on it, but there was a part of you that was always part of us and will always be part of us. You will be missed. We will always remember the wisdom, laughter and friendship you brought  to our lives. Your nickname for me was “Bedlam.” I called you “Cotter.” And I would give anything for us to take the Rapid  downtown and on the way home, get off at the wrong stop.


06/07/22 08:28 AM #3    

Ellen Mandell

What a wonderful memory. Thanks for sharing.


06/07/22 12:38 PM #4    

Marci Koenig (Kulberg)

Beautifully written tribute Jed. 


06/07/22 04:48 PM #5    

Robert Waldman

That is just an incredible story and tribute. Jed, thank you so much for taking the time to share that wonderful story. I knew Scott pretty well, more so in elementary school. I also attended an overnight camp that he was at. I remember him as a pretty intense and competitive kid. But at the same time I can vividly recall his laughter. At camp we would go to play golf somewhere and rememer him throwing his clubs around. After he died,  I told my wife about the golf and told her " I can't hold it against him because I was throwing clubs around until I was about 55 years old. LOL. Jed's point about what is takes to be successful rings so true. 


06/08/22 12:40 PM #6    

Gary Jones

Thanks Jed. Wonderful story and it brings back great memories of Scott Wolstein.


06/08/22 01:58 PM #7    

Debra Fine (McGuire)

 

 

 

Thank you Jed for sharing those precious memories.  


Scott and I were friends since kindergarten and Hebrew School at Park Synagogue. We even carpooled for many years. I remember sttting behind Iris, his Mom, when she was driving, and marveling at how beautiful she was with her long black ponytail. She was unique. So bizarre what we remember!

When Scott switched schools we stayed in touch. I was his occasional date to the Hawkin dances. We were interested in similar things having to do with the world outside Beachwood. Scott and I remained friends all these years. I visited him in Cleveland and he visited me in California, when he was here on business or to talk about art schools with his son Merrick.

We texted on Holidays and Birthdays and always did a little catching up. When he didn't respond to recent texts and emails I became concerned and started reaching out to friends who might know something. Sadly, by the time I caught up he was in a coma.

Our long history and sincere admiration for each other is what kept our relationship alive. I was so very proud of him and all that he achieved even though I was aware of the trials and tribulations of work/home life.

I will miss him, dearly.

He was unique also. The apple doesn't fall far.

❤️Debra McGuire (Debbie Fine)

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


06/09/22 09:48 AM #8    

Bill Weiss

Beautiful tributes to Scott.

He was a great friend and classmate.

Whe he lived on Greenlawn, we would have big neighborhood games of football and baseball. Kids our age, oldere and a few younger.  Scott was very competitive and could take every play very seriously, to say the least. 

He had a great laugh.

His memory is a blessing.


06/11/22 10:25 AM #9    

Denny Hershey

Jed, my Bar Mitzvah brother, that was great. I especially enjoyed the video you shared. Your memory is great. I often say that mine sucks because I burned out all those brain cells in college. But truth be told there are some instances where my memory is crystal clear and three of those include Scott Wolstein.

I have been struggling with whether or not I should write this, well here goes:

My parents were very social and some of their closest friends were Archie and Dottie Drost, Flo and Al Goetz, Marty’s parents, Gerry and Arnie King, Donald’s parents, Sally and Sol Millstein, and Iris and Bart Wolstein, Scott’s parents. There were many get togethers of the whole group. These occasions led to me and Scott spending a lot of time together and many sleep overs.

On one of the many get togethers, we were at the Drost’s house and part of the entertainment was a Ouija board. I remember Barbie Drost was one of the people with a hand on the planchette (I had to look that one up) when one of the parents asked what was the dirtiest word it knows. More on that one later.

If you watched the video of Scott you saw some awesome characteristics, but there is one you did not see, his utter tenacity for winning. On one of the sleep overs at my house, we were having a fight. Not an “I am mad at you fight” but more of a contest. We were throwing these hard rubber objects at each other.  I was taking cover in my closet and Scott was across the room taking his cover in our suitcase closet. There was a look in Scott’s eyes that utterly terrified me. I saw an emotion that I did not share. Because it was unfamiliar to me it scared me and at the time I took it as evil. But what it really was, was his drive for winning and success. The video showed his gentleness but underneath was a tenacity to win that I believe was a major factor in his success.

The second episode was another time when Scott was sleeping over. We just got home after a long Bike ride. (Jed – this was not as a long a ride as you and I had when we ended up in Solon at your father’s office) All I remember is we both had to pee so bad that we ran up to my bathroom where we would, I think shower together (must have been very young), and……. Okay – here is where I choose not to put it in writing but you need to ask me when you see me in two weeks.

The last episode was when the sleep over was at Scott’s house. At night we were remembering the Ouija

board experience and that in answer to the dirtiest word it knew, it spelled out P-E-C-K-E-R. It was a time of innocence and Scott and I had no idea what the word meant. To this day, Barbie Drost claims she had no idea what the word meant. The next morning we were eating cereal at breakfast when Scott asked his mother what the word meant. When she said “it is a dirty name for a man’s penis”, well, I had never heard a grown up say “penis” before, both Scott and I burst out in hysterics. It caught me so off guard that the milk literally came out of my nose.


06/21/22 02:08 AM #10    

Darryl Berk

What I remember most about Scott Wolstein is that his parents, Bart and Iris, introduced my parents, Dick and Arlene at Heights High way back when.


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