Sidney Weiner

Sidney Weiner was born in Worcester, Mass., on October 28, 1927, to the late Harry and Mary (Kaufman) Weiner. He and his family moved to Springfield in January 1942. He attended local schools and worked with his father in their service station in the Forest Park section of Springfield. After his father passed away in 1958, Sid continued in the business until 1969. He then joined State Mutual Life Assurance Company as an agent, retiring when he had his first of two heart bypass surgeries.
Initially becoming a ten-gallon blood donor, Sid served on the board of directors of the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross for six years, and then was chairman for twenty-five years of the Blood Drive Recruiting Committee.
Sid has had a long association with the Masonic Fraternity. He joined Chicopee Lodge of Masons in 1953, and became Master of the Lodge in 1959 and again in 1967. In 1968 he was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the Chicopee 18th Masonic District. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a life member of the Scottish Rite.
Sid joined Melha Temple Shriners in 1959, and was honored for his fifty years of Past Masters service. A charter member of the Clown Unit and first president of the Past Masters Unit, he was instrumental in creating the blood drive program at Melha which celebrated its fiftieth year in 2009, and was recognized for his fifty years of membership.
Sid volunteered at Baystate Medical Center for over fifteen years and received his 9,000 hour service pin. The first and only male president of the former Baystate Medical Center Auxiliary, he also recruited many retired Masons to volunteer at Baystate Medical Center in the Day Stay Unit and other areas.
Sid was involved with the Ronald McDonald House of Springfield, as a member of the board of directors for over ten years and as president from 1999-2000. He also served as chairman of the speakers group, and chaired the effort to collect aluminum tabs as a fundraising program.
Sid chaired the Rays of Hope parking committee which utilized many of his Masonic friends to park the thousands of cars of those walking to raise funds. With his wife Gertrude, he also volunteered at Tanglewood and for Rachel's Table. He was a member of Congregation B'nai Torah.
He also volunteered at the Jewish Nursing Home and Spectrum Hospice, assisted in running Friday religious services for the residents and was a staple of the Shabbos morning minyan.
In December of 2001, Sid was selected to carry the Olympic Torch in New Haven, Connecticut, while the torch was being carried to Salt Lake City for the 2002 Olympic Games.
In March 2010, Sid received the Hometown Hero Award from the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross and WWLP-TV Channel 22.
He also received Humanitarian of the Year Awards from Congregation Kodimoh Brotherhood and from Temple Beth El Brotherhood.
In 2010, Sid also was recognized by the Rotary Club of Enfield, Connecticut, where he was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow for his volunteerism and service.
Sid always said that all of his volunteering was due to his parents who taught him to live by the Golden Rule.
He was predeceased by his wife of sixty-seven years, Gertrude. He is survived by his daughter Nancy (William) Squires, sister Tiny Koss, and grandchildren Maxine Squires (Taylor Kiviat), Sarah Squires, and Michelle Squires.
Donations may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children – Springfield Unit, 506 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01107; Ronald McDonald House of Springfield, 34 Chapin Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107; or Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy, 1148 Converse Street, Longmeadow, MA 01106.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, September 26, at 10:00 A.M., at Ascher-Zimmerman Funeral Home with burial to follow in Kodimoh Cemetery. Shiva observance will take place at 33 Willow Circle, Longmeadow, MA, with evening services at 7:00 P.M. Tuesday through Thursday.
For further information or directions, please visit ascherzimmerman.com.