James (Jim) A. Samuels, beloved life partner of Ofelia Bernstein. Treasured son of the late Myron and Hildreth Samuels and brother of Arlene (Steven) West. Adored uncle of Allison (Max) Avner and Eric West, and great-uncle of Hank Avner. Services will be Friday, August 2 at 11 AM at the Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple 23737 Fairmount Blvd. Beachwood, Oh. Interment Mt. Olive Cemetery. Shiva will be held at the Solomon – Glick residence, FRIDAY FOLLOWING SERVICES AND INTERMENT UNTIL 8 PM. SATURDAY 6 PM-9 PM. Jim had an extraordinary ability to create strong and lasting friendships. He devoted his life to Tikun Olam - repairing our world and our community- through his profound leadership of organizations too numerous to list. Friends can help preserve his legacy by contributing to the newly-created James A. Samuels Social Action Fund to support social action programming at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple (fairmounttemple.org
Patricia Stipetich (Flora)
My heart is breaking with sympathy for Jim's family and friends. May he rest in peace and love.
Cherie S. Lewis
I have so many happy memories about Jim, both in high school and in the decades since. He seemed to have a gift for friendship and always exuded kindness. He left us far too soon.
Steven P. Fisher
Will miss him so much.....
Steve Fisher
Donna Kaufman (Walter)
Hard to put words together to honor Jim. He was definitely one of a kind. All of the beautiful words spoken at his funeral were so true. He will truly be missed by all. He is in my heart forever.
Warren Rosman
It is hard to believe that Jim Samuels has been dead almost a year. I met Jim at a New Year's Eve party in Susie Silverman's basement on December 31, 1966. Jim was out-going, funny, never had a bad word to say about anyone, active (Marching Band) and knew about as many people as anyone in our Heights class. He had attended Fairfax and then Roxboro.. Somehow, and I know I have forgotten the story, he was able to get Pierre's ice cream to give him a store for the summer of 1968. He managed it with Marty Lewis and this was the start of their close friendship that would llast the next 50 years. The ice cream shop, located on Euclid Hts. Blvd. near Noble was like a clubhouse that whole summer. .
Jim went to Ohio State, lived in dorms on the south end of campus and then lived on Indianola for one or two years. After college he went to CSU Law school where he graduated in 1976. Jim practiced law for about four or five years and then went into commercial real estate. He seemed to know everyone. He was active in the restoration of Playhouse Square particularly in the early years when volunteers donated much time to help clean things up. After some time, he became a member of the borad of trustees at Fairmount Temple.
Jim had a succession of girlfriends as an adult - each one smart, beautiful and nice. He then met Ofelia (possiby at one of his Super Bowl parties ?) and they eventually became life partners. Ofelia, too, is a wonderful, cute and smart. I should include the adjectve "loyal" too, because when Jim was in the last months of his illness, I think Ofelia stayed with him vitually every minute. I will always feel that it is one of the ironies of life that Jim wasn't able to attend an event so important to him - our 50th high schooll reunion. Everyone who knew him, knew him as a wonderful person.
Sue Bruder (Wold)
Warren Rossman those words describe Jim well. It's hard to believe that it's been a year. Time goes by so fast.Our past reunion will leave a lasting impression with Jim by my side. It was the last one that we did together.He will always be there by my side forever planning the next one. Jim a day doesn't go by that we aren't thinking of you. Forever.
Debbie Dorsky (Meitin)
Warren, what a beautiful tribute to our friend, Jim. Thank you so much for sharing your memories. Yes, a year, hard to believe, and what a year it has been for our world.
I remember asking Jim to the Sadie Hawkins or some such dance when we were 16. He had just gotten his driver's license very recently (it was still a piece of paper folded up in his wallet). He did something, I can't remember what, as he pulled out of a parking lot, and a policeman stopped him. Luckily he only got a warning. But he wrote in my yearbook "you're the only girl I've been with and almost been arrested." We talked about that at every reunion:(.
John M. Lader
I think of you often. You're missed by your family and many friends.
RIP Buddy.