Seymour Reiner's Obituary
Seymour Reiner spent 71 years in New York City, born and raised on the Lower East Side, spent years raising a family in Queens, and was an empty nester with his loving wife of 62 years, Sidell, on the Upper East Side. Upon retiring from the dry-cleaning business, where he repeatedly was elected president of the Neighborhood Cleaning Association, the couple moved to Boynton Beach to enjoy retirement in 1996. Upon Sidell’s death in 2006 he remained in their home and eventually met a neighbor, Alma Julius, in 2014. The two remained loving companions until Seymour passed away on April 28, 2020, just a week shy of his 95th birthday. He died peacefully in his home under Hospice care with his children at his side.
He is survived by all his children and grandchildren: loving father of Rochelle (Eugene); Michael (Annie); Charles (Patti) and cherished grandfather of Lance, Joshua (Emily), Nathan and Stephanie (Kevin).
The dry-cleaning business was tough, and he worked six days a week, so as a young man he labored incredibly hard. He always said he inherited that from his mother, Sylvia, an immigrant who was a tailor on the Lower East Side. Seymour’s children all believe they acquired their work ethic from their Dad. He was their role model and hero. Sy, as he was known to his friends, treated his employees with great respect and empathy, as he knew that his success was dependent on their loyalty and dedication to the business.
Seymour, in his younger years, loved to fish, whether it was for bluefish off the Acid Waters of NJ, tuna at Montauk, or fluke and flounder with his young children off Captree on Long Island.
In retirement he played golf (never very good) until that became too difficult. At the Clubhouse in The Grove, he’d play cards (sometime winning, more often losing), but enjoyed the companionship of the boys.
While Sy was inherently shy, give him a new audience and he took the stage as stand-up comedian. He had a repertoire good enough to be a headliner on the Borscht Belt. Had he been born in another place and time, his jokes, as well as his political acumen, would have given Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl a run for their money.
Seymour was a sailor during World War II. For all who knew him, he’d love it if, when you think of him, you’d laugh at his favorite joke, “There once was a whale....”
Donations in Seymour's memory can be made to:
Bethesda West Memorial Fund - www.bethesdawest.org/bethesda-memorial-fund
Hospice Trustbridge - https://trustbridgefoundation.org/ways-to-give/donate/
What’s your fondest memory of Seymour?
What’s a lesson you learned from Seymour?
Share a story where Seymour's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Seymour you’ll never forget.
How did Seymour make you smile?