Simon Wagman

SIMON WAGMAN, of Washington, DC, passed away peacefully on June 11, 2024, at the age of 101. Sy, as he was known, was a devoted husband to his wife, Ruth (nee Levin) Wagman; and a loving father to his children Barbara and Robert; his grandchildren Nicolas, Perri, Meryl, and Kyla; and his great grandchildren Alida, Mila, Red and Ames.

Sy and Ruth were looking forward to celebrating their 79th wedding anniversary in just one week.

Sy was born in New York City on April 6, 1923, to Benjamin Wagman and Leah (nee Baer) Wagman. His father was an immigrant from Russia who worked nights as a baker. He has fond memories of spending time in his cramped South Second Street Brooklyn apartment with his mama and older siblings, Abe and Libby. Sy was an outstanding basketball player at Eastern District High School in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. With encouragement from neighborhood alum Red Auerbach, Sy earned a basketball scholarship at George Washington University. As a sophomore, Sy was part of the varsity team's starting lineup. That team beat the Duke Blue Devils for the 1946 Southern Conference championship. In 2002, Sy was inducted into the Greater Washington Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Following his service in the U.S. Navy, Sy founded the Wagman Construction Corp. and began a long career with brother Abe and his brothers-in-law, Lawrence Levin and Myron Levin, as a developer and builder in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Involvement of family was a cornerstone for him. Their projects included new home construction, shopping centers, apartment buildings and office complexes.

Sy most enjoyed spending time with Ruth but was happy to celebrate any occasion with friends and family with a snifter of vodka on the rocks in hand. Dinners at the old Duke Zeiberts and the Prime Rib restaurants in DC were legendary spectacles to behold. Sy enjoyed playing golf but could always be found at a card table at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville MD where he and Ruth were longtime members.

Sy is survived by his wife, Ruth Wagman; daughter, Barbara Cuttriss; son, Robert Wagman (Lucinda Wagman nee Moe); his grandchildren Nicolas Cuttriss (Lara Cuttriss nee Turgay), Perri Cuttriss, Meryl Wagman, and Kyla Hanrahan (James R Hanrahan IV); and four great grandchildren, Alida Cuttriss, Mila Cuttriss, James Red Hanrahan V and Ames Hanrahan. He was predeceased by his cherished siblings, the late Abraham Wagman and Lillian "Libby" Slutsky.

Graveside service will be held on Sunday, June 16, 2024, 11 a.m., at Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park in Clarksburg, MD. Shiva will be observed at the late residence immediately following the graveside service with Minyan at 7 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad (AYUDA), c/o JF Kearney & Associates, P.A., CPA, P.O. Box 8537, Gaithersburg, MD 20898 (ayudavolunteer.org). Services entrusted to Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care.