Michael R. Saltzman's Obituary
Michael Saltzman
Beach Lover, Dedicated to family and community
Michael Robert Saltzman, 71, of Lewes, DE passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 7th, at Beebe Healthcare, Lewes. He was born on July 19, 1947 in Glen Ridge, NJ to Sheppard and Etta Saltzman.
He was raised in Caldwell, NJ, graduating from James Caldwell High School in 1965. Michael attended Syracuse University where he earned a BS in Business and met his future wife and loving partner, Fran Saltzman. After earning his MBA at Northeastern University, he went on to a career in government and public service.
Settling in Northern Virginia, first in Alexandria and then, Vienna, where he lived for 40 years, he worked as a budget analyst for the United States Department of Energy. There he applied his skills in math and satisfied a love for learning about science and technology. He was a loving and involved father to daughter Erica, and son, Dave, cheering at soccer games, attending band concerts, driving to color guard practices, and helping with homework and science fair projects. Always seeking to share his blessings with others, he volunteered his time teaching swimming to special needs children and was a consistent and dedicated blood donor.
Called by a love of the beach and the ocean, Michael and his family had many happy vacations at the beach, most notably in Bethany Beach, where he purchased and fastidiously maintained a condominium at Sea Colony. When he retired, the Delaware shore was an obvious choice.
Settling in Lewes, DE he began making immediate and important contributions to the community. He served 2 terms as co-president and one term as treasurer of the Seaside Jewish Community, instituting First Aid/CPR classes and building security measures and working on the initial committee from Seaside to establish the Jewish Film Festival in 2016 in conjunction with with the Rehoboth Beach Film Society. He has remained on this committee since that time. He also served his Bay Crossing Community as the chair of the pool committee from 2012 until 2017.
Michael had a life-long love of swimming, choosing to spend his lunch break and free time clocking countless laps at the pool. He enjoyed the companionship of his beloved dogs throughout his life treating Benji, Teddy, Kelly, Casey and Brady as the wise and giving family members they were, and was quick to befriend every dog he met. After spending a childhood around his father’s wood and metal shop, he had an intuitive knowledge of how to fix almost anything and spent many hours tinkering in his basement workshop, building small items and repairing his homes. He’ll be remembered for his warmth, humor, wisdom and deep care and concern for friends and family.
Michael is survived by his wife of 47 years, Fran; daughter Erica Saltzman and her husband Carlos Mochon of Manhattan, NY; son David Saltzman and his wife, Stephanie Stanley of Brooklyn, NY, and his grandchildren, Andrew Mochon and Zoe Saltzman-Stanley.
Memorial services were held at Seaside Jewish Community on Sunday, February 10. Michael was a participant and active fundraiser for the ALS Walk For A Cure. Donations can be made in his memory to Seaside Jewish Community or the ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia.
Please sign Michael's online guestbook located on this site.
What’s your fondest memory of Michael?
What’s a lesson you learned from Michael?
Share a story where Michael's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Michael you’ll never forget.
How did Michael make you smile?