Samuel Joseph Silverman's Obituary
Samuel Joseph Silverman was born on April 27, 1944 and named after his father, Samuel Silverman. Sam never met his father, as the elder Sam died three months earlier during his military service. While the U.S. Army said that the older Silverman died of a heart attack at age 34 while chopping wood, as the wartime government had been conducting chemical warfare tests at Camp Siebert and Sam had volunteered to be a part of them, the cause of death may have just been a cover. This was why when growing up newborn Sam went by the name Butchy instead of his namesake.
Sam’s mother remarried and soon had a daughter, Sandy Beck, with her new husband. Unfortunately, her new husband was best described as sour and cold, a nice way to obscure the fact he was also something of a drunkard. Young Sam bonded strongly with his sister, often saying he raised her owing to his mother’s aloofness, no doubt a result of losing her first husband. The one noted exception to this bond was when he traded her for some mice with the kid down the street. His mother made him rescind the transaction made on Edmonton in Glenville.
In the 1950s he worked in his stepfather’s fish store and also worked with him as a jobber, refilling record displays. It was here that he developed his fondness for early rock-n-roll and mastered a skill seen in the film “Diner” where Daniel Stern’s character can list all of the details of a 45 based on the title, telling you the performer, the record label and what was on the flip side.
In addition to being among the first students to attend Severance-Millikin Elementary School and then the “new” Wiley Junior High, Sam attended Heights during the noted 1958-1962 expansion, graduating in 1962. He decided to stay in Cleveland and attend Fenn College as his sister was ill with leukemia. When Fenn became Cleveland State University, he was unable to get black and gold or tigers to be themes for the new school, he was able to get the name Cauldron used. Staying in Cleveland was fortuitous, as by being local he was able to meet a Mayfield Heights High School student who he would marry after he graduated from CSU in 1966.
Sadly, one week before the wedding, Sam’s sister died from leukemia. This would prove to have a disastrous effect on his mother, exacerbating her depression which would create circumstances that he would say were among the worst he knew.
Despite all of these adversities, he would persevere. He and his wife Ann would have a son in 1969, he would advance in his career in the 70s with much success in the 80s and 90s. He would travel with his wife across the country as well as overseas. While his quick wit and sarcasm would entertain (as well as get him into trouble) he was a loyal and generous friend, with guests to his home often leaving with samples from the different companies he represented. His home office was filled with ephemera and mementos of roadside Americana, along with prints by his favorite artist, Edward Hopper.
While over a 25-year period he overcame emergency gall bladder surgery, a rare lung disorder, a heart attack, pancreatitis, and a triple bypass with a dissected aorta, the adverse side effects from a medication in January led to multiple trips to the hospital over the last 10 months. He passed away in the early hours of Friday, December 17th.
He was a good husband, a good father and a good man.
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